INTERNATIONAL PASTORAL
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SOCIAL  RESPONSIBILITY

PERSPECTIVE ON THE
2002 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
by Dave Randle

Reflections For The Implementation of the Olympic Truce
For the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah

Sunday, January 28th, 2001
Dialogue and Harmony Among Civilizations Conference
United Nations and New York Hilton, New York, NY

     Good morning distinguished ladies and gentlemen.  I bring you greetings as both a member of the Salt Lake Olympic Interfaith Roundtable and Chair of the Salt Lake Olympic Chaplain Committee, and the Planning Committee of the United Religions Initiative, (URI) North American Summit to be held in Salt Lake City this coming June.

     In conjunction with the upcoming Olympic Games we are engaged in a number of possibilities as to how the Olympic Truce might facilitate a dialogue with civilizations and building a culture of peace.

     We are doing this in cooperation with both the Utah URI, UNEP, the U.N. URI with support from the IIFWP, WANGO, and the World Peace Prayer Society.

Background:

     The history of the Olympic Truce is described by the International Olympic Committee in this way:

     “The institution of the "Truce" or "Ekecheiria" was established in ancient Greece in the 9th century BC by the signature of a treaty between three kings, Iphitos of Elis, Cleosthenes of Pisa and Lycurgus of Sparta.  The other Greek city-states subsequently ratified this "international agreement", thanks to which the permanent and recognized immunity of the sanctuary at Olympia and the region of Elis became a reality.  Moreover, during the period of the Truce, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in total safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their respective countries.  As the opening of the Games approached, the SACRED TRUCE was proclaimed and announced by the "Spondophoroi", citizens of Elis who traveled throughout the Greek world from city-state to city-state to pass on the message.”

     The modern day Olympic Truce is a reinstitution of the ancient concept of the Olympic Truce during the Olympic Games.  The truce lasts from 7 days before the Olympic Games until 7 days after the games.  At its heart is an attempt to further the preference of peaceful resolutions to the various conflicts around the world.   The Olympic Truce attempts to build upon the friendship, solidarity, and cooperation between nations that are at the heart of the true Olympic spirit.

     The Olympics also have the ability, to for a moment, abolish boundaries that separate, and to create moments of unity and peace.  It is the hope of the Olympic truce that it can be a tangible manifestation of the principles of the Olympic Charter in the hope that it will serve as a means of dialogue and reconciliation.

     Since 1993, the United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly expressed its support of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by adopting a resolution every two years inviting member states to respect the Olympic Truce and recognizing the importance of IOC actions for human well-being and international understanding.  The Olympic Truce is therefore permanently and regularly on the agenda of the Assembly sessions a year before the Olympic Winter and Summer Games are held.

     The United Nations has in fact given the Olympic Truce special attention by both inviting the IOC President to make a speech to the General Assembly, which was the first time in the history of the United Nations that a non-governmental organization addressed the entire Assembly, and in including it specifically in the recent Millennium Declaration of about 150 heads of state.

     The U.N. Millennium Declaration states “We urge Member States to observe the Olympic Truce, individually and collectively, now and in the future, and to support the International Olympic Committee in its efforts to promote peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic Ideal.”

     The recognition of the educational and peace-building mission of the IOC and the Olympic Movement is supported by a large majority of the United Nations member states including the unanimous adoption of the Olympic Truce and co-authorship of 180 of the 185 countries U.N. members.

     In the last Olympic Truce resolution the U.N. Called for:

     o the peaceful settlement of all international conflicts through diplomatic solutions.

     o the Sydney Games to be a highly harmonious, athlete-oriented, and environmentally committed Olympic Games;

     o Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee in its efforts to use the Olympic Truce as an instrument to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict, beyond the Olympic Games period;

     o urged the Olympics to use the Olympic Truce to undertake concrete action at the local national and regional and world levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace based on the spirit of the Olympic Truce;

     o Requested the Secretary General to promote the observance of the Olympic Truce among Member States, drawing the attention of world public opinion to the contribution such a truce would make to the promotion of international understanding and the preservation of peace and goodwill, and to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee in the realization of this objective;

     o Decided to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-sixth session the item entitled "Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal" and to consider this item before the XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City (United States of America) in 2002.

     In addition to the resolutions the IOC has conducted some Roundtable meetings to get input on how best to implement the Olympic Truce.  Some of the ideas include:

     o Urge all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to promote a culture of peace and the observance of the Olympic Truce according to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) request and the United Nations General Assembly resolutions in their respective countries;

     o Request all NOCs to invite their Heads of State and government to deliver a message on sport for a culture of peace and the observance of the Olympic Truce on 23 June 2000, Olympic Day;

     o Urge the Hellenic Olympic Committee to associate the observance of the Olympic Truce with each ceremony of the lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia, in conjunction with the Olympic Games according to the Greek tradition of EKECHEIRIA;

     o Urge the IOC to initiate symbolic activities around the Olympic Games on sport for a culture of peace and the observance of the Olympic Truce, such as a walk for peace, race against poverty etc. in co-operation with the NOCs of host countries, the OCOGs with the participation of IOC members, International Federations (IFs) and NOCs representatives and athletes;

     o Recommend to take advantage of main sports competitions at local, national and international levels including continental and regional games to convey goodwill messages on peace, fair play, non-violence, environment protection, the fight against poverty, AIDS, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and other issues beneficial to the well-being of society in the long-term and sustainable process, by using slogans;

     o Call upon municipalities, labour unions, students and youth movements, media owners, and civil society in general, to assist in the promotion of sport for a culture of peace and the Olympic Truce;

THE NEED

     Although the Salt Lake Olympics are only a little over a year away, most of the community like most of the world is unaware of the Olympic Truce.  There is a need to bring awareness of the Olympic truce, a need to provide events and programs around the Olympic truce, and a need to involve faith communities, local governments, labor unions, and other NGO’s in activities of the Olympic Movement.


A POSSIBLE RESPONSE

     There are many possible ways that NGo’s could assist the Salt Lake Olympic Games in the implementation of the Olympic Truce.  Some of the key opportunities identified include:

     o Integration of the Olympic Truce in the upcoming Olympic/UNEP Leadership Development program scheduled for April 27-30, 2001 and facilitated by Dr. John Izzo and Dr. David W. Randle.

     The relationship of peace, justice and environmental concerns will be highlighted at this leadership training. The program will utilize the UNEP book Earth and Faith and will share integrate the Olympic Truce into this training process.

     o Announcing the URI Olympic Truce Program at the URI North American Summit to be held in Salt Lake City May 31, to June 4 - 2001.

     This could include a joint announcement from URI, the Mayor of Salt Lake City, a representative from the United Nations Environment Programme, the Salt Lake Olympic Officials etc.  It would make a great kick-off for the Truce for the Salt Lake Olympic Games as well as involve the entire local community.   The program would call for the truce to include peace among individuals, families, and organizations in the Greater Salt Lake Community to enable them to better hosts for the games.  Other communities around the world would be invited to join Salt Lake in solidarity with this program.

     o Develop an Olympic Truce Calendar for the time period of February 1, 2002 to April 1, 2002 (the time of the Olympic Truce).  NGO’s, particularly faith communities from around the world as well as other organizations would be invited to share a “thought or wisdom reflection for the day or suggested peace activity for that day.

     o A special Olympic Truce Table Top Peace pole be developed in cooperation with the World Peace Prayer Society as a physical reminder for individuals and families each day that the Olympic Truce is in effect.

     o Faith Communities and other organizations would be invited to contribute a peace pole for the Salt Lake Olympic Games, one peace pole for each of the approximate 80 Countries participating in the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games.

     Each Peace pole would say “May Peace Prevail On Earth” -- one side in English, and one side in French, the two official languages of the Olympics.  On the other two sides of the pole, one side would have logos and info related to the Olympic Truce and the other side would have the flag of one of the participating nations (There would be about 160 poles, two for each participating nation with each nations flag being on two of the 160 peace poles.

     o The sharing at the Cultural Olympia Conference various contributions that CC’s have to make to improving the physical fitness of cities and provide as an example the 80 peace poles it would contribute to an “Olympic Peace Pole Path” that will be a permanent legacy to Salt Lake City and a reminder to extend the Olympic Truce.

     These are just a few of the ideas being discussed along with many more in how to make the Olympic Truce more real for people during the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games.  This is our challenge for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Games, to continue to make the truce more relevant and a more important part of the Olympic Games.

     The ancient Olympic Truce was a Sacred act that included religious ceremonies including having the Athletes take an oath to observe the Truce before a statue of Zeus, sacrificing rams, and a ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame itself to show that the truce is in effect.  The idea of the athletes taking an oath before Zeus was apparently to induce some fear if they failed to abide by the law of the Truce.

     However, we are not proposing that Athletes take an oath in front of a statue or picture of a politician or particular God in their country that most induces fear in them.  Nor are we suggesting that we begin to sacrifice rams again.  This idea was particularly upsetting to our esteemed moderator Richard Jordan who happens to be of the astrological sign of Ares (The Ram).  Although this being super bowl Sunday Richard Jordan and some other New York Giant fans here kind of like the idea of sacrificing members of the St. Louis Rams and maybe even throw in a few ravens for good measure.

     What does seem appropriate however, is to return to the idea of the sacred or spiritual dimension of the Olympic Truce that is so necessary in the implementation of building a culture of peace.  In that regard we have suggested for consideration a few key dimensions that the Olympic Truce in Salt Lake might include.

Emphasis on Peace Within Families

We would like to see this years Olympic Truce expanded to call for Families to cease unnecessary conflict for the period of the truce in order to both be better hosts for the Olympic Games.  We would like to also call on and others outside of Salt Lake to have their families join this family truce in solidarity of the larger Olympic truce and to use this time period to reflect on how the family can better support the building of a culture of peace.

It is interesting to note that the Olympic Flame itself is from the ancient greek symbol associated with the Goddess Hestia.  Unlike other Ancient greek Gods and Goddesses, Hestia had no statues to honor her.  Instead people honored Hestia with the hearth in their homes, a symbol of personal security, happiness, and the sacred duty of hospitality.   It was Hestia’s warm and holy presence that transforms a house into a home.

In ancient Greece homes were literally constructed outward, after the hearth at the exact physical center of the home was in place, symbolizing the orientation of family --- and the soul --- around the its essential core.  Throughout the centuries, the flame of the Olympic torch has been carried as a reminder of Hestia’s importance.  It is therefore fitting that with the theme of the Salt Lake Olympics which is “Light The Fire From Within” that the family be recognized in the Olympic Truce.

Emphasis on Wisdom Teachings Related To Peace

We would like to see the Olympic Truce to call for the wisdom of faith traditions around the world and the work of peace, justice, and the healing of the Earth of other NGO’s be collected into an Olympic Truce Calendar where each day of the truce people can reflect on the Olympic Truce from this wisdom of teachings of peace from traditions around the world.

Emphasis on the Environment

We would like to see the Olympic Truce include a provision for peace with the environment.  As Klaus Toefer, UNEP Executive Director recently stated, "It is a well-established fact that without an understanding and tolerance for one another's cultural and spiritual dimensions, peace will remain elusive.  However, we have to recognize that respect for nature and the preservation of the ecological balance of our planet are essential for the achievement of international peace and security.  The environmental dimension of the concept of peace and security cannot be ignored any more."

Emphasis on Youth

In keeping in the spirit of the Olympic Games and its concern for youth, we would like to see the Olympic Truce encourage leadership programs for youth around the world to help them become Ambassadors of Peace.

~

     In whatever form the United Nations ends up presenting the Olympic Truce this year and whatever programs formally take place, I encourage each of you to please find a way that you as individuals and your organizations can participate in making the truce an important part of the Olympic Games.

Thank you and May Peace Prevail On Earth!

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