General Assembly Adopts Olympic Truce Resolution, Citing Sport’s Power to Unite
Sport gives people the courage to see an opponent “not as an enemy, but as a partner in a shared endeavour”, the General Assembly heard today, as its President urged Member States to uphold the Olympic Truce — a “living metaphor” for peace at a time of escalating global tensions.
The Assembly adopted the resolution “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” (document A/80/L.10), calling on all Member States to observe the Olympic Truce during the XIV Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy, in 2026 — beginning seven days before the Games open and ending seven days after they conclude. By the text, the 193-member organ underscored the unique ability of sport to foster dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect, even amid conflict and division.
Welcoming the work of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Truce Centre, the Assembly encouraged Governments to cooperate with those bodies in using sport “as a tool to promote peace”, advancing human rights, inclusion and sustainable development. Delegates stressed that, in an increasingly fractured international landscape, the Olympic and Paralympic Games continue to demonstrate that global unity remains possible.
“Sport teaches lessons,” said Assembly President Annalena Baerbock (Germany), recalling her own time as a former trampoline gymnast. Sport teaches that losing is “just preparation for future success”, she added, urging the Assembly to imagine the world as “a soccer field, where it does not matter the colour of your skin, what your parents earn, who you love or which God you believe in”.
She highlighted examples from the “Open Fun Football Schools” initiative which brought together children from all walks of life to sports for development in Colombia and bicommunal matches in Cyprus. The Assembly President said that sport drives health, education, inclusion and gender equality.
Space for People to Meet as ‘Fellow Human Beings’, Not Adversaries
With Milano Cortina 2026 set to be “the most gender-balanced Winter Games in history”, she said that the values of diversity and empowerment extend “beyond the podium”. The Olympic spirit, she said, shows that “fair competition can elevate humanity”. Today’s resolution calls all nations to uphold the Olympic Truce as a “moral compass” — a call for ceasefire, dialogue and cooperation.
Kirsty Coventry, President of IOC and double Olympic champion in swimming, reflecting on her journey from “a nine-year-old girl in Zimbabwe” who fell in love with the Games to leading the Committee, said the Games offer a space where people meet “not as adversaries, but as fellow human beings”.
She said that athletes can only inspire if they are allowed to compete, insisting that “sport and politics must be kept apart”, that visas should not be denied “for politically motivated reasons” and that athletes must be judged “on their own sporting merits”. She looked ahead to “the most gender-balanced” Winter Games in history.
She concluded that the UN and Olympic Movement share the mission “to bring people together, to uphold human dignity and to build bridges of peace”, reminding delegates that, even in dark times, unity remains possible — and that the spirit of the Games will “shine from Milano Cortina to the world”.
Giovanni Malagò, President of the Organizing Committee for Milano Cortina 2026, speaking on behalf of Italy, introduced draft resolution “L.80”, stressing that, at a time of “growing discord and conflict”, the Olympic Games can serve as “a beacon of hope”. He highlighted the Games’ ability to “rise above rivalry and national boundaries”, noting personal memories of athletes from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea united in friendship during PyeongChang 2018.
Most Gender-Balanced Winter Games in History
Further, he emphasized that Milano Cortina 2026 will be a “unifying event” that harnesses sport for peace and hopes that achievements carved “in the icy beauty of the Italian Alps” will inspire the world. He also celebrated milestones, including the “most gender-balanced Winter Games in history” and the Paralympics’ fiftieth anniversary, with more than 300 legacy projects to improve accessibility, transport and inclusion.
Member States also weighed in, with the representative of the European Union, in his capacity as observer, declaring: “At a time when wars continue to cause immense suffering and when trust in international cooperation is being tested, this resolution serves as a powerful reminder that collective challenges require global unity”. Voicing support for the objectives of the Olympic Truce — which, for 30 years, has linked the ideals of the ancient Games with the modern pursuit of peace — he highlighted the bloc’s core values of diplomacy, collaboration and peaceful coexistence.
“Together, sport and culture serve as powerful drivers of dialogue, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence,” added Cyprus’s representative. Today, the reaffirmation of the Olympic Truce remains a powerful symbol, he said, adding: “As we look ahead to the […] 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are reminded of the positive influence these events can have — not only in inspiring communities and strengthening international cooperation, but also in showcasing cultural diversity as a bridge between peoples.”
Other countries outlined national efforts to promote sport. “Sport remains one of the most valuable tools capable of uniting humanity,” said the representative of Kuwait. Highlighting initiatives under Kuwait’s National Sports Strategy 2022-2028, which aims to empower youth, encourage volunteerism and promote women’s leadership, among other key goals, she also noted that the country recently hosted the first “Football for Humanity” event in cooperation with several UN agencies.
Sports Has the Power to Bridge Divides
Guyana’s delegate said the country has increased its investment in developing and nurturing athletic talent, prioritized funding for local sports fraternities and the construction of new stadiums and will organize and host the third edition of cricket’s Global Super League in 2026. “History offers many compelling examples of sports’ potential to bridge differences,” he said, from “ping pong diplomacy” to Nelson Mandela’s use of rugby to mend deep racial divisions in South Africa, he added.
Singapore’s delegate also pledged to remain committed to harnessing the “power of sport”. “We strongly believe in sport for all and that sport should be inclusive and affordable for all,” she said. Singapore is working to “strengthen life-long infrastructure and deepen representation in major games”. She called on all Member States to ensure that “a spirit of sport inspires peace and strengthens solidarity and empowers all people to achieve their full potential”.
Harnessing the power of sport is also an international goal, other speakers said. Rwanda’s delegate urged deliberate support for infrastructure financing, technology transfer and the capacity to “level the playing field” to ensure that sports remain equitable and empowering for all nations not just some. “Rwanda urges greater investment from Member States to unlock sport’s fill potential as an enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Sport’s Power to Foster Post-Conflict Healing, Reconciliation
From empowering women to advancing post-conflict reconciliation, several speakers highlighted the role of sports in very critical societal areas. Burundi’s representative shared his country’s experience using sport as a tool for post-conflict healing and reconciliation, describing sports teams across the country made up of former combatants, members of the Government army and civilians alike. Local teams were gradually brought together into interprovincial teams, where people learned to cooperate. “Emerging from a decade of violent conflict […] we chose to transform playing fields into places for encounter, dialogue and reconstruction,” he said, adding: “Former adversaries became teammates.”
The delegate of the United Arab Emirates said his country will soon host the Open Masters Games in Abu Dhabi — the largest sport event ever held in the Middle East. He also stressed the need to empower women and girls in sport, noting various empowering programmes supporting women in sport in his country.
Echoing other speakers, Greece’s delegate welcomed the decision to align the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with the principle of environmental sustainability and with an aim to ensure lasting benefits for local communities. “Olympic principles are, fundamentally, United Nations principles,” she said.
The representative of the United States, noting that her country will host the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, said: “Sports have an unrivalled power to build bridges, foster dialogue and establish lasting ties among peoples, communities and nations.”
In other matters, the Assembly also agreed to postpone the date of recess to Wednesday, 24 December at the request of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here.