Your+World+Final+Project+2009+B+Joodi+S.

How do the Olympic Games influence international peace? _By_Joodi_Son_   

The Olympic flag [...] has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red [...] This design is symbolic ; it represents the five inhabited continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colors are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time. —Pierre De Coubertin (1931)  INTRODUCTION 

If I were to ask you, what is the first thing that comes to mind when I say Olympic, it would probably be medals, sports, nationalism, etc. I am not saying that it is a bad thing but haven't you ever wondered what went behind the scenes of all the sports such as the diplomatic and peace related things? Take a look at the next video and think what pops up in your head.

media type="youtube" key="EpbodKspwyw" height="344" width="425" (Watch from about 6:17)

It might just look like an opening ceremony for the Olympics but what does it represent? In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, when you saw North and South Korea walking together unified under one flag didn't you think what had made them do that? What allowed them to come together to walk together unified? How did the Olympics manage to bring together two countries such as North and South Korea? What is it about the Olympic Games that seems to bring peace during the games? You know what I think? I think it is something because of something called the Olympic Truce...

OLYMPIC VALUES 

Although it is eventually the individual's responsibility and opinion to come to a conclusion as to what they think the Olympic Games are to them and what Olympism means to them, the principal values of Olympism has the "same meaning to those hoping to fulfill their dreams and ambitions, and to build a better world." Some values of Olympism are fair play, the joy of effort, the search for excellence, respect of others, and the harmony between body and mind. But the thing is not only are these values for the Olympic Games themselves, by blending sports with the culture and education of the world, they are also a way of life. The values of Olympism encourages a way of life based on the four points below("Peace and the Olympics." Peace and the Olympics):

"1. The balanced devlopment of the body, will, and mind 2. The joy found in effort 3. The educational value of being a good role model
 * 4. Respect for universal ethics including tolerance, generosity, unity, friendship, non- discrimination and respect for others.**"

According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) "The goal of Olympism is to place everywhere sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with he preservation of human dignity." (IOC 1991, 7) ( "Olympism- What is it?." //Inspire, Excel, Together)// <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

<span style="color: rgb(236, 101, 101); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">THE OLYMPIC TRUCE IN THE ANCIENT TIMES <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

To tell you how big the Olympic Games were and still are, the traditions passed on tells and shows that a Greek of noble birth couldn't die before seeing the Olympic Games. If anything happened there, which a lot did, the whole Greek world would talk about it.The whole Greek world would just talk about the Games and what was happening there. The Games were a good time to become famous, hence why so many artists went to the games when they took place and if athletes came out as victors they were genuine heroes. But the problem was traveling to Olympia for the Games. The journey consisted of a long travel across warring territories. In order for the atheletes to get to Olympia safely "two months before the Games started, the Hellanondikai declared a holy truce between Greek cities." During the Games all wars were supposed to halt, the Games was supposed to be a time of peace with no wars with no prisoners executed.The objective of the holy truce was to protect the athletes to Olympia and their journey back home, which could actually last several months. Although this 'myth' is just something brought down from tradition, there is evidence that the truce was real. Look at the fact that Olympia was the only Greek city to never build walls on their borders to defend itself. The ancient Truce was sacred due to the fact that it was the reason the participants of the Games were allowed to move freely through warring territories. The funny thing is the literal meaning of the Greek word for truce, ekecheiria, is "laying down of arms!" ("Peace and the Olympics." Peace and the Olympics.) <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

<span style="color: rgb(236, 101, 101); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">THE OLYMPIC TRUCE IN THE MODERN DAYS <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: center; display: block;"> "Olympism as the holder and distributor of social peace, this will be the final rung to climb." -Coubertin (Selected Writings, II,p. 396,1919).

"I call upon all nations to observe the Olympic Truce. I am convinced that in this observance, and by working with the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Ideal, we will draw the world's attention to what humanity can achieve in the name of international understanding. " -Kofi A. Annan, UN Secretary General, February 1998

". . .On behalf of the Australian Government, I am pleased to advise that we support wholeheartedly this initiative of the International Olympic Committee. Australia, as a participant in every modern Olympic Games, is proud to uphold the principles of Olympism and concurs with the aim of the Olympic Movement to contribute to friendship among people and international understanding and world peace at a time when it is so greatly needed." -Paul J. Keating,Australian Prime Minister, 1993.

The video below is a news broadcast from before the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. It is about the Truce being made.

media type="youtube" key="A221WZnk2XQ" height="344" width="425" <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">

October 25, 1993- The 48th UN General Assembly, by following the IOC's proposal, agreed to adopt a resolution on the accordance of the Truce during the 17th Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. ("Peace and the Olympics." Peace and the Olympics.)

November 24, 1999- The 180 memebers of the 54th UN General Assembly agreed to adopt a resolution called "Building a Peaceful and Better World through Sport and the Olympic Ideal." This resolution calls on the Member states to regard the Olympic Truce during the Summer Olympics in Sydney. ( "Playing for Peace.")

Daniel Kowalski, Australian world swimming champion, proposed a draft resolution at a Session that was managed by the "Vice-President of the General Assembly and head of the Monaco delegation, Prince Albert of Monaco, an IOC member and Olympic athlete. ("Peace and the Olympics." Peace and the Olympics)

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">According to the International Olympic Truce Foundation, "The mission of the International Olympic Truce Foundation is to promote the Olympic Ideals, to serve peace, friendship and international understanding. In particular, to uphold the observance of the Olympic Truce, calling for all hostilities to cease during the Olympic Games and beyond, and mobilizing the youth of the world in the cause of peace. The International Olympic Truce Centre is dedicated to creating the necessary support framework for the observance of the Olympic Truce and for the global promotion of a Culture of Peace, in accordance with the principles and policies established by the Foundation." ("Mission". //International Olympic Truce Centre.)//

What the International Olympic Truce Foundation is saying is that their goal is to promote the Olympic ideals, which are to serve peace, friendship and international understanding, to help the world become a better place. To do this the Olympic Truce must be kept, and in doing this all hostilities must stop during the Games.

The symbol that represents something that is supposed to bring peace must have a serene and calming touch to it. The Olympic Truce is meant to bring peace to the world and with the dove of peace with the Olympic flame in the background of it I think that it does just that. We live in a world that holds animosity and hatred within, a world where we are at war with one another. In a world like this, the peace dove symbol portrays one of the International Olympic Centre's ideals to "build a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal." The traditional Olympic flag is seen as something that brings the world together with the warm friendship to the people of the world, and the sharing and global harmony. The flame is very colorful and this is "suggestive of merriment experienced in the celebration of the human spirit." All these symbols within the symbol of the Olympic Truce represent the people from all over the world of different races coming together as one for the honoring of the Truce. (Loland, Sigmund) <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

Take a Look at this little short clip/ guide and the document will tell you what you need to know of the Olympic Truce and how it impacted some countries during the Olympic, for example 2000 Sydney Olympic Games South and North Korea walked together under one flag. This was able to happen because of the Olympic Truce. (Sorry I couldn't get it on the wiki) [] <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

This document is from the UN General Assembly explaining the Olympic Truce.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(236, 101, 101); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">

<span style="color: rgb(236, 101, 101); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">CONCLUSION <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

How do the Olympic Games bring peace to the international society you ask? Well, it isn't quite the games itself that bring peace to us but it is the meaning of them, the people behind the Olympic Games, the beliefs and values behind the games that allows the international society to come together in harmony and peace. By putting all the hatred and animosity behind us for just the short time of the Olympic Games brings the world peace.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: center; display: block;">As long as the flame is burning, there shall be peace, arms shall be put down.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="color: rgb(236, 101, 101); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">BIBLIOGRAPHY <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> Alex. "10 Fascinating Facts About the Ancient Olympic Games." //Neatorama//. 2 Aug 2008. Neatorama. 28 May 2009 <http://www.neatorama.com/2008/08/02/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-ancient-olympic-games/>. (Picture)

Dobrow, Andrew. "London’s Olympic Flame Goes Green." //GearFuse//. 29 Oct 2007. GearFuse. 27 May 2009 <http://www.gearfuse.com/londons-olympic-flame-goes-green/>. (Picture)

I, <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Playing for Peace." //The Washington Times// 9 September 2002 Web.28 May 2009. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/sep/09/20020909-085043-7223r/>. (Primary) <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">Larry, James. "Olympic Games: Ushering Peace, Prosperity and Sportsmanship." //SelfGrowth//. 2009. SelfGrowth.com. 27 May 2009 <http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Olympic_Games_Ushering_Peace_Prosperity_and_Sportsmanship.html>. (Primary) <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Loland, Sigmund. "Pierre de Couberitn's Ideology of Olympism from the Perspective of the Hisotry of Ideas."//Critcial Reflections on Olympic Ideology//. 1994. (Primary)

Rockies77. "Sydney 2000 OC- Parade".3 March 2008. Youtube. 26 May 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpbodKspwyw> (Video)

Socialeu. "Lambrinidis CNN Olympic Truce" CNN News. 2004. CNN News. 27 May 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A221WZnk2XQ>. (Video)

Traub, James. //<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">The Best Intentions: Kofi Annan and th e UN in the Era of American World Power// (New York: Picador, 2006);<<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">[|http://www.un.org/sg/annan.shtml>]. (Picture)

"Peace and the Olympics." //Peace and the Olympics//. 17 Oct 2000. The Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace. 28 May 2009 <http://www.peace.ca/peaceandtheolypmics.htm>. (Primary) <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">

"Olympism- What is it?." //Inspire, Excel, Together//. 2009. New Zealand Olympic Committee. 26 May 2009 <http://www.olympic.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=2997>. (Primary)

"Three Pillars." //International Olympic Truce Centre//. 2007. IOTC. 26 May 2009 <http://www.olympictruce.org/>. (Primary, Picture)