In his address on the occasion of the Ceremony in Tribute to the Cream of Central African Athletes, the Head of State, His Excellency Prof Faustin Archange Touadera announced the Olympic Truce in his country: “Taking the cue from President Berraf, I solemnly launch, for the Central African Republic, the Olympic Truce proclaimed jointly by the IOC and the United Nations system. May the crackling of weapons cease, may the barriers of division, hatred and refusal of the other be banished so that in unity and dialogue a new, welcoming Central African Republic may rise from the ruins of the old.”
The Olympic Truce is a period of peace that advocates an end to conflicts or ceasefires respected by the various nations of the world during the Olympic Games. Historically, it has been a tradition of Ancient Greece since the 9th century BC. Its objective was to put an end to all conflicts for the duration of the truce, from the 7th day before the opening of the Games to the 7th day after their closure, to enable athletes, artists, their parents and pilgrims to travel to the event and then return home safely. Nowadays, the Olympic Truce expresses humanity’s desire to build a world that obeys the rules of fair competition, a world of peace and reconciliation. Since 1993, the UN General Assembly has increasingly supported the Olympic Truce. On 9 December 2019, during at its 74th session, it adopted a resolution accepted by all States in support of the Olympic Truce. Thus, the IOC decided that, henceforth, the United Nations flag will be flown at all Olympic Games events. The tradition will be inaugurated in Nagano during the Winter Olympic Games.
For the CAR, which has witnessed war for several years, this truce affords an opportunity to preach peace, the only guarantee of sustainable development.
