100 days of peace

What has peace to do with the Olympics?

The ancient Olympics were marked by a sacred truce. This was so competitors could reach Olympia safely when travelling through warring city-states in the Greek peninsula.

Peace was the underlying purpose of the original Games. And also the ideal of the modern Games when revived in 1896 by Pierre de Coubertin.

The new call for an Olympic Truce – a 100 days of peace – is about –

• Laying down weapons to build a culture of non-violence
• Upholding respect for human potential and achievement above bloodshed
• Implementing UN resolution A/RES/48/11 which urges member states to ‘abide by the Truce, individually and collectively, and to pursue . . .  the peaceful settlement of all international conflicts’.

Who has resurrected the 100 Days of Peace?

The call for peace in the context of London 2012 has come from the young people within secondary education across the city of London. They talk about experiencing instability on the streets of the Metropolis every day.

This has the support of More Than Gold and is part of our Social Justice programme.

How can others engage with the call for peace?

The aim is to use the Olympic Truce to encourage and strengthen what is being done by those working for peace, with a particular focus on London.

Individuals, churches and schools can support the call for peace by –

• Using the 100 Days of Peace initiative - 50 days on either side of the Games. This encourages peace events and to see the Games as an occasion to celebrate peace in hearts and neighbourhoods, locally and internationally. For ideas, resources and an events planer see www.peacelegacy.org.uk/page2.html
• Keeping track of the Walk for Truce - Lord Michael Bates walking from Olympia, Greece to Westminster to champion the cause of the Olympic Truce. Details at www.walkfortruce.org and sign the online petition at www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/truce,
• Praying with a focus that all 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York in October 2011will commit to observe the Resolution they will sign on peace and will implement it.