General Assembly Official Records Sixty-Second Session
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United Nations A/62/PV.40 General Assembly Official Records Sixty-second session 40th plenary meeting Wednesday, 31 October 2007, 10.17 a.m. New York President: Mr. Kerim ............................. (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m. accord in history. The modern Olympic movement, which came into being in 1894, has inherited the Agenda item 45 traditions of the ancient Olympic games. At its very heart lies the pledge to safeguard world peace and Sport for peace and development promote the common development of mankind, while (a) Sport for peace and development at the same time upholding the Olympic spirit: swifter, higher, stronger. Report of the Secretary-General (A/62/325 and Corr.1) The United Nations and the Olympic Movement are natural allies. The Olympic ideal accords with the (b) Building a peaceful and better world through United Nations purpose of promoting peace. Since sport and the Olympic ideal 1993, the General Assembly has adopted seven Draft resolution A/62/L.2 resolutions on the Olympic Truce, urging all Member States to observe the Truce. The United Nations The President: I would like to say that I assume Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2), adopted in that the Olympic spirit will prevail today, as Pierre de 2000, also urged Member States to observe the Coubertin would have liked, and that attendance by Olympic Truce and to support the promotion of peace Member States will be more impressive. and human understanding through sport and the I give the floor to the representative of China to Olympic ideal. introduce draft resolution A/61/L.2. All of that amply demonstrates that the United Mr. Liu Qi (China) (spoke in Chinese): As Nations and its Member States attach great importance President of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the to the role played by sport and the Olympic ideal in Games of the 29th Olympiad, and on behalf of the promoting world peace and that they hope to create a Chinese delegation, I have the great honour to favourable atmosphere and conditions for the success introduce draft resolution A/62/L.2, entitled “Building of the Olympic Games. a peaceful and better world through sport and the In line with past practice, China, as the host Olympic ideal”. country for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, has The Olympic Truce, a time-honoured tradition, proposed the draft resolution entitled “Building a has its roots in the Olympic truce treaty among Greek peaceful and better world through sport and the city-states participating in the ancient Olympic games, Olympic ideal” (A/62/L.2). The draft resolution not which had a history of more than 1,000 years. The only captures the quintessential elements of previous treaty was thus observed longer than any other peace resolutions, but also features the three main concepts This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum. 07-57301 (E) *0757301* A/62/PV.40 that are at the core of the Beijing Olympic Games, Olympic Truce in China and throughout the world and namely, the Green Olympics, the High-tech Olympics increase the influence of the Olympic ideal of peace. and the People’s Olympics, and their vision to achieve We have organized a series of events to promote a harmonious development of society. It recognizes the the concept of peace, including the campaign to solicit increasingly important role of sport in the songs for the Olympic Games; the “Fuwa — the implementation of the internationally agreed Olympic mascots — bring good luck to the world” development goals and reaffirms the commitments campaign; and an Olympic sculpture exhibition. We undertaken in this regard by the heads of State and have named the Olympic torch relay the Journey of Government gathered at the 2005 World Summit. The Harmony, a name that captures the vision of peace, draft resolution urges Member States to observe the harmony and cooperation. We have distributed Olympic Truce during the Games of the Olympic readers and wall charts to schools designated XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, which will take place from Olympic Education Model Schools, and have launched 8 to 24 August 2008, and the subsequent Paralympic the Heart-to-Heart Partnership Programme and a Games in Beijing, which will take place from 6 to Beijing Olympic Youth Camp. These educational 17 September 2008. programmes are sowing the seeds of peace, friendship The draft resolution also welcomes efforts of the and progress among the public, in particular among International Olympic Committee and the National young people. During the Beijing Olympic and Olympic Committees of United Nations Member States Paralympic Games, a wall for peace and friendship will to undertake concrete actions to promote and be erected at the Olympic and Paralympic villages to strengthen a culture of peace and harmony based on the collect signatures from athletes and other people and to spirit of the Olympic Truce and calls upon all Member appeal for observance of the Olympic Truce and the States to continue to use sport as an instrument to promotion of world peace. promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and China has received constructive comments and its President, Mr. Jacques Rogge, have been working suggestions from many delegations during the tirelessly to promote the Olympic ideal of peace. I take consultations on the draft resolution. The draft this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for resolution is sponsored by 183 countries. On behalf of their commitment. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Chinese Government and the Beijing Organizing the IOC and the parties concerned, the International Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, I Olympic Truce Foundation and the International would like to convey my thanks to all countries for Olympic Truce Centre have been established, their support for the draft resolution. It is my sincere contributing to the promotion of the Olympic ideal of hope that the General Assembly will adopt the draft peace worldwide. resolution by consensus. The adoption of the draft We also thank Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Adviser to resolution will help enhance appreciation and the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and understanding by all peoples of the Olympic ideal of Peace, for his hard work, and we will continue to peace and will contribute to world peace. support the work of his Office. The Olympic Truce is not only the ideal of the Peace and development are two major themes in Olympic movement but also the common aspiration of today’s world. Unfortunately, regional conflicts and all peace-loving peoples around the world. The theme local turbulence still occur, making our quest for world of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad — “One world, peace more of an uphill journey. The Olympic Games one dream” — and its core concepts of the Green may not change the world overnight, but we have every Olympics, the High-tech Olympics and the People’s reason to expect that the Olympic Truce, an ancient Olympics give full expression to the common desire of Olympic tradition, will continue to inspire the world in the Chinese people and peoples of the entire world for striving for lasting peace and common prosperity. peace, progress, friendly relations and harmonious development. To that end, the Beijing Organizing I wish to take this opportunity to call on all Committee has launched various activities to promote Member States to adhere to the purposes and principles the Olympic Truce, enhance understanding of the of the United Nations, to observe the Olympic Truce and to promote world peace. In 282 days, the Olympic 2 07-57301 A/62/PV.40 Flame — burning bright for solidarity, friendship and Sport helps to break down social, religious and peace — will be lit in the main stadium of the Beijing ethnic barriers by promoting tolerance and mutual Olympic Games. That is of great significance both to understanding. Sport can change lives for the better by the Olympic Movement and to China, an ancient building self-esteem, leadership skills, community civilization with a time-honoured history. The spirit and bridges across ethnic and communal divides. international community looks forward to the success When teams and individuals come together to share of the Beijing Olympic Games. At present, all of the their common passion for sport, everyday differences preparatory work is taking place as scheduled. All the are set aside. Rivalries remain, but they are fought over venues will be complete by the end of the year, except goals, fastest times or longest jumps. Sporting for the National Stadium, which will be ready in early spectacles provide the opportunity to transcend 2008 in accordance with plans for the opening everyday differences for the crowds that come to enjoy ceremony. them. The Beijing Olympic competition schedule has Sport has also sometimes played a decisive role been finalized. To facilitate the coverage of the Games in diplomatic life and in re-establishing good by the foreign media, last year the Chinese relationships between countries. That is the Government formulated regulations on reporting embodiment of the ancient Greek concept of ekecheria, activities in China by foreign journalists during the or “Olympic Truce”. The General Assembly considers Beijing Olympic Games and the preparatory period.