Oregon Public Broadcasting

At the United Nations Monday, Canada asked for a worldwide truce during the upcoming Winter Olympics.  Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia host the 2010 Games next February.  Tom Banse reports.

The Vancouver Olympics will be the ninth try by the modern Olympic movement to revive an ancient Greek tradition.

Greece's ambassador to the United Nations Anastasios Mitsialis told the general assembly that "promoting peace" was the reason the Olympic Games were originally established.

Anastasios Mitsialis: "In antiquity, the implementation of the Olympic Truce entailed the cessation of all hostilities to allow thousands of athletes, pilgrims and spectators to travel to Olympia and attend the sacred celebration of human achievement and then return home in safety and security."

The general assembly accepted the Olympic Truce resolution without objection.  But Ambassador Mitsialis was the first to say he holds no illusions of how "challenging" it would be to realize a worldwide truce today.

On Thursday Canadian officials will light the Olympic flame in Greece, starting a long torch relay that ends in Vancouver next February. 

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Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games