Reaffirming the Olympic Truce: Uniting the World Through Sports

As the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics approaches, the General Assembly adopted the resolution “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. This reaffirms the Olympic Truce, which the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock calls “a living metaphor of what peace requires: discipline, respect and courage needed to build peace.” The Open Fun Football Schools, that brought together more than 150,000 children in the Balkans after conflict, and similar programmes in Colombia and Cyprus are powerful examples of the power of sports.

Sports not only unite people across borders but also help dismantle inequalities at home, including gender barriers. Gender equality featured prominently in the Assembly President’s remarks. She highlighted the defiant spirit of Canada’s women’s hockey team, who reclaimed the phrase “Play like a girl?” by responding that they play fast and strong like girls. Their message challenges stereotypes that continue to hold back women and girls in sport and in society. Milano Cortina 2026 is set to be the most gender balanced Winter Games ever, with women expected to represent 47 per cent of all athletes.

Italy has also pledged to use the Games to advance inclusion and accessibility both during the competition period and through long term legacy projects. The Italian delegation recalled moments that reflect the Olympic spirit, including the famous act of generosity by bobsledder Eugenio Monti who lent equipment to his rivals at the 1964 Innsbruck Games. His decision cost him a victory that day but earned him admiration across the sporting world.

As the world prepares for the Winter Games, the UN’s message is clear. The values that athletes learn on the field, such as fairness, teamwork and courage, are the same values needed to build a more peaceful and inclusive world. Sport continues to show that even in times of division, humanity can still find common ground.

Read the full article here.