UNITED NATIONS - The UN General Assembly called on Monday for a truce in the world's conflicts during next year's Summer Olympics, an ancient Greek tradition revived in the 1990s but not always honored by UN members.
A resolution sponsored by host country Britain urged member states "to observe ... the Olympic Truce, individually and collectively" from the start of the Olympics on July 27 to the close of the Paralympics, for athletes with disabilities, on Sept. 9. The two events will be held in succession in London.In ancient Greece, where the Olympics began, often-warring city-states suspended conflicts for up to three months to enable athletes to travel freely to and from the games.
The idea of proclaiming a truce was resurrected in a General Assembly resolution in 1993. It has been affirmed by the international community at each Olympiad since but has not always succeeded in stopping conflicts.
