The Olympic Truce and its Applicability in Modern Times - Assignment Example

The Olympic Truce and its Applicability in Resolving Conflict in Modern Times Introduction The Olympic Games as we know today started out as one of Greek civilization’s most sacred religious festivals celebrated in honor of Zeus, the god of all gods. It involved a pilgrimage to Altis, Zeus’ most sacred grove, in Olympia of the kingdom of Elis. It was a well-attended affair; political leaders, royalty, artists and athletes converged in Olympia, a site that has no parallel in the modern world (Swaddling, 2000). However, those who travelled to Olympia were in danger of getting caught up in the disputes that were constantly raging among mainland communities and rival powers of Greece. Thus, in an effort to establish peace, it was said that in 776 B.C. King Efitos (or Iphitus) of Elis, King Cleosthenes of Pisa and King Lycourgos of Sparta agreed to hold a truce, the “Ekecheiria” during the period when the Olympic Games were held (International Olympic Truce Center). Ekecheria in Greek means “holding of hands”, but has come to also mean the “truce of God” and in modern times, “suspension of hostilities”. In the period spanning seven days before and after the games, hostilities ceased, allowing all travellers to and from the games to travel in peace. The Olympic Truce also to ensured that there is peace in the area where the Games were being observed. (Kidane, 1999). Thus, during this period, all participants in the Games were not allowed to engage in war, carry on with court disputes, and execute criminals (Swaddling, 2000). Steep fines were levied on those who violated the Truce. The tradition of the Olympics and the Truce lasted for more than a thousand years. Attendance to the Olympic Games peaked in the third and fourth centuries A.D. where participants from distant lands also attended. Similarly, the Truce also protected them from danger during travel. However, the Olympic Truce and the Games were abolished in 393-394 A.D. after Rome converted to Christianity. Then, the Olympic Games were branded as a “pagan” religious practice honouring a “pagan” god, Zeus (Perseus Digital Library Project, 2008). Concepts in the Olympic Truce From ancient times to the modern era, the Olympic Truce is associated with the two distinct concepts of safe passage and peace among groups at war. Safe passage refers to the capacity of athetes, participants and other entities to safely travel to and from the Olympic Games venue. The cessation of war for the period spanning the Games covers a broader concept of the Truce. The duration of the truce is an issue, in ancient times it was 7 days before, during, and seven days after the Games. Today, some say that the duration is similar to that of ancient times, while others say that it spans 16 days before and after the games. For others, the Truce only covers safe passage but not cessation of fighting. Rebirth of the Olympic Truce The Olympic Games were re-established in the late 19th century, ushering in a new era where the Olympic Truce was put to use in modern times where conflicts exist as in the ancient world. It was in 1894 that Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French educator, founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to organize the International Olympic Games. Pierre de Coubertin was close to famous pacifists of that tim, and he envisioned the games to be more than just sports but as a means to achieve peace of nations (Quanz, 1994). This vision was embodied in the Olympic Charter, the founding document of the modern Olympic Games (International Olympic Committee, 2007). It took many years after the Games were revived that the Olympic Truce was enforced. The Truce was first invoked in 1956 when, a call was made for the safe passage of Hungarian athletes attending the Melbourne Summer Games. The call came about as reports of some Hungarian athletes still fighting Hungarian rebels and were staying in an island on the Danube, fate unknown as to when they can leave for Melbourne to participate in the Games. Due to this situation, the International Olympic Committee called for an Olympic Truce to allow the Hungarian team to fly to Melbourne for the Games. In 1992, the Olympic Movement activated the power of sport and the Olympic ideal, ushering in the beginning of a new era. The International Olympic Committee called upon the international community to observe the Olympic Truce, enabling the attendance of Yugoslavian athletes, of war-torn Yugoslavia, to the Barcelona Games. In 1993, a UN resolution waspassed where the Truce was revived (United Nations General Assembly, 1993). This was the first time in history that the UN adopted a resolution on the Olympic Truce. The IOC called the Olympic Truce a project, underscoring their intent of making its reality a concerted effort. Through the Truce, the IOC affirmed its independence and its causes of defending the interests of the athletes and the Olympic Games. The tradition of the affirmation of the Olympic Truce by the host city the year prior to its hosting the Olympic Games started in 1993. The resolution, almost always titled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal,” has been adopted by nearly all UN member states. The Lillehammer (Winter Games) in 1994, when civil unrest in Bosnia was raging, saw the expansion of the Truce to the diplomacy arena. The IOC publicly and relentlessly used the Truce in Bosnia to stop the brutalities arising in Sarajevo. The initiative was ardently pushed by then IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch who continually appealed for a truce in Bosnia before the start of the Winter Games in February 1994. Although, the appeal was unheeded, still Samaranch pursued his cause by paying a visit, together with other UN and IOC officials, to the Sarajevo Olympic Stadium where the 1984 Olympic Games were staged. Finally, Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic committed to observe the Olympic Truce, which enabled humanitarian intervention for the war victims. This proved that the Olympic Truce was workable and not just a concept (United Nations, 2001). Aside from Bosnia, the IOC also contacted countries in war zones in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. In the Nagano Winter Games in 1998, the Olympic Truce was again utilized in response to increasing tension between the United States and Iraq. The US was already contemplating a military action against Iraq. IOC publicly asked the US to observe the Olympic Truce in the period spanning the Winter Games in February 1998. Later, it was divulged that Japan, the host country, also initiated the call at a time when the US was preparing for a military strike in Iraq due to its resistance to weapons inspection by the UN (Briggs, McCarthy, & Zorbas, 2004). Japan was anxious that there would be no escalation of hostilities during the holding of the Olympic Games and reportedly sent a communique to the US reminding it of the Olympic Truce Resolution by the UN of which the US is a member. The Olympic Truce has been the theme of conferences sponsored by the IOC and the UN, which underscored joint efforts by the two organizations in promoting peace education. In 2000, the IOC founded the International Olympic Truce Foundation (IOTF) and International Olympic Truce Centre (IOTC). The IOTF aims to promote Olympic ideals and the tradition of the Olympic Truce for peace, friendship and understanding. Generally, sports and education are the main activities pushed to achieve their broad objective especially in areas where conflicts are present. A symbolic proof of the IOC’s efforts were seen in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games when North and South Korea athletes marched under one flag during the opening ceremony. The Olympic Truce, in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorists’ attacks, was used to appeal for the international cooperation in making sure that participants were safe going to the Salt Lake City Winter Games. The scope of the Truce shifted to a more symbolic position, as host United States, in the UN’s 2001 Olympic Truce Resolution asked only the athletes’ safe passage and participation (United Nations, 2002). This was a difficult time for the US as it reassessed its security as a nation, and its capacity to protect its own citizenry from terrorist attacks. The 2004 Athens Olympic Games revived the Olympic Truce as celebration of the Olympic heritage of Greece. Furthermore, the truce period was extended to include the Paralympics Games. The Beijing Olympics in 2008 was significant for the Olympic Truce because of the call for its enforcement foe Darfur where genocide and violence were prevalent and still is. China, host country, has endorsed all UN Olympic Truce Resolutions since 1993 and in 2007, China affirmed the Olympic Truce in the traditional resolution. China is also the most significant economic supporter of Sudan, which having endorsed all Truce resolutions, it has not stopped the violence in Darfur. Thus, the question of how effective the Truce has been in stopping the Darfur violence during the 2008 Olympics arise. In this situation it becomes evident that the Olympic Truce is only as good as the commitment that participating countries are willing to give. However, international pressure and diplomatic relations could alter the situation towards a more positive response. Conclusion The Olympic Truce was conceptualized over two thousand years ago in an effort to promote peace during the time when sports and friendly are the priorities. Revived less than twenty years ago, the objectives of the truce remain basically the same, to promote safe passage and cessation of hostilities during the period of the Olympic Games. Despite the changes in the times and the tools used to promote the Truce, many things remain the same. For one, conflict is an ever-present event. Secondly, the Olympic Games give temporary respite to these conflicts. Despite being an age-old tradition, the Olympic Truce holds great potential for the modern world. It is a potent tool that can guarantee, every two years, more than a month of peace. History has shown that the Truce, a concept that was handed down, has become a real tool for peace. No written rules are available, except for the will of many nations, that align ever two years to celebrate sportsmanship, camaraderie and competition. In the years that it was used, perceptible results have been achieved, notable were the truces effected in Bosnia in 1994, US and Iran in 1998. Put to the test in 2002 and 2008, the Truce was able survive and remains a beacon of hope for perpetuation of peace. However, more can still be done. The peace that the Olympic Truce brings can become enduring if it becomes less a temporary option and more of a permanent solution. This can only happen if the true spirit of the Olympic Games becomes embodied in the culture of nations, especially those that are at war, or are in present conflicts with other nations. References Briggs, R., McCarthy, H., & Zorbas, A. (2004). 16 Days: The Role of the Olympic Truce in the Toolkit for Peace. Demos. Retrieved December 29, 2008, from http://books.google.com/books?id=KReE3ANBlakC International Olympic Committee. (2007). Olympic Charter. Switzerland: International Olympic Committee. Retrieved December 29, 2008, from: http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_122.pdf International Olympic Truce Center. (n.d.). Olympic Truce. Peace Inspired by Sports . Retrieved December 29, 2008, from: http;//www.olympictruce.org. Jordan Olympic Committee. IOC Seminar on Sport & Peace in the Middle East. Retrieved December 28, 2008, from: http://www.joc.jo/seminar_speeches.shtm Kidane, F. (1999). Sport And Politics: Diplomacy of an Olympic Truce. World Conference on Education and Sports for a Culture of Peace . LA84 Foundation. Retrieved December 29, 2008, from: w.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/ 1999/OREXXVI28/OREXXVI28zo.pdf Perseus Digital Library Project. (2008, December 31). Retrieved December 31, 2008, from Tufts Unversity: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/faq11.html Quanz, D. R. (1994, July). Sports Library. Retrieved December 31, 2008, from LA84 Foundation: http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv3n1/JOHv3n1d.pdf Swaddling, J. (2000). The Ancient Olympic Games (Second Edition). Austin, Texas, USA: University of Texas Press. Retrieved December 26, 2008, from: http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exswaa2p.html. The International Olympic Academy. (n.d.). The Legacy of Ancient Greece. Retrieved December 26, 2008, from http://www.ioa.org.gr/the_legacy.htm. United Nations General Assembly. (1993, October 19). Building a peaceful and better world through sport. Retrieved December 31, 2008, from http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N93/566/69/pdf/N9356669.pdf?OpenElement United Nations. (2001, August 5). Press Conference by Foreign Minister of Greece. Official Official Document Service of the United Nations. Retrieved December 30, 2008, from: http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2001/olympic.doc.htm United Nations. (2002, January 25). Solemn appeal made by the President of the General Assembly on 25 January 22 in connection with the observance of the Olympic Truce. Official Document Service of the United Nations. Retrieved December 30, 2008, from: http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N02/231/32/pdf/N0223132.pdf?OpenElement Read More