Accepting the Olympic torch in New York today as part of its relay around the world, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all warring factions to lay down their arms during the upcoming Games in Athens.
Accepting the Olympic torch in New York today as part of its relay around the world, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all warring factions to lay down their arms during the upcoming Games in Athens.
According to ancient Greek tradition, countries observe an “Olympic Truce” while athletes are competing in the global competition. The UN General Assembly has revived this tradition by calling for an end to bloodshed now as well.
“The Truce should be understood as more than a symbol,” Mr. Annan told those at the ceremony. “While limited in duration and scope, it can offer a point of consensus, a pause to open a dialogue, a chance to provide relief to a suffering population. In short, it can offer a window of hope.”
He voiced hope that during the 2004 Olympics, the “serenity of the Olympic flame [will] silence the sound of warfare.”
As part of the event, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) arranged to have two young people whose lives have been deeply affected by conflict carry the torch in and out of the UN complex. On the agenda to participate in New York were Toni Jones, who fled political conflict in Liberia and later went on to lend her voice to the fight to free child soldiers based on the atrocities she had seen, and Daniel Mejia, whose uncle was the victim of a political assassination in Colombia.
Since leaving Greece 12 weeks ago, the torch has traveled through Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
In Brazil, human rights activist Nubia Olivera, who campaigns against child labour, participated in the relay as part of UNICEF's initiative.