OLYMPIC TRUCE

That this House recognises that the purpose of the ancient Olympic Games, which ran for 1,200 years, was the promotion of peace and reconciliation through the observance of the Olympic Truce; congratulates Lord Bates for drawing attention to the issue of the Truce in a House of Lords debate on 11 October 2010; notes that a resolution declaring the period of Olympic Truce for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be proposed to the United Nations General Assembly by the Government during 2011; welcomes the fact that the Truce requests that during the period of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games all Member States take the initiative to abide by the Truce, individually and collectively; believes that the Truce would in no way compromise national security and indeed may enhance it; therefore considers the Truce to be an important tool of politics and diplomacy which affords a unique opportunity to provide humanitarian aid to war-torn areas, to commence dialogue in place of conflict consistent with the Government's renewed emphasis on conflict prevention and provides a significant opportunity domestically to advance renewed community spirit consistent with the aims of the Big Society; and therefore urges the Government to provide leadership to ensure that the Truce accompanying the London 2012 Games is taken seriously and that opportunities for peace and reconciliation, individually and collectively, at home and abroad, are realised in order to provide a lasting legacy on which future Games can build.