Sport is a powerful means to build bridges, bring people together and shape peace; it builds friendships and draws lines of respect across borders.
The Olympic athletes show the whole world that it is possible to compete with each other, while living peacefully together. In this world of uncertainty that we are living in today, the Olympic Games are even more relevant than ever.Thomas Bach IOC President
The UN talks about sport as a universal language that can be a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries and cultures.
The overarching mission of the IOC is to put sport at the service of humankind. Unlike any other global event, the Olympic Games have the power to bring humanity, in all its diversity, together.
The shared goal of the UN and the IOC is to make the world a better and more peaceful place. For the IOC, this means putting sport at the service of the peaceful development of humanityThomas Bach IOC President
Contributing to building a peaceful and better world through sport is a Fundamental Principle of the Olympic Charter.
The IOC cooperates extensively with partners, including National Olympic Committees and numerous United Nations agencies, as well as international governmental and non-governmental institutions, on activities and educational initiatives which use sport as a tool for development and social change, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The IOC regularly joins the celebrations of the International Day of Peace, observed around the world on 21 September. In 2020, while the world is striving to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, the day also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
The United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities on this day, and to otherwise commemorate the day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.
