Speaking ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Annalena Baerbock reflected on her experience as a young trampoline gymnast and the unifying power of sport. She emphasized the Olympic Truce as a living metaphor for peace, requiring discipline, respect, and courage to foster harmony both between nations and within communities.
Historical examples illustrate this potential, such as the Open Fun Football Schools in the 1990s, which brought together over 150,000 children across ethnic divides in the Balkans, using play to rebuild trust after conflict. Similar initiatives in Colombia and Cyprus have also helped fractured communities rediscover confidence and connection through shared games and collaborative goals.
The Olympic Truce also underscores the importance of equality and inclusion. Baerbock highlighted the achievements of Canada’s women’s hockey team at Sochi 2014, which challenged gender stereotypes with their “fast and strong like girls” message. This spirit aligns with Milano-Cortina 2026, expected to be the most gender-balanced Winter Games yet, with women making up 47 percent of athletes.
Italy has pledged to promote inclusion and accessibility during the Games, supported by numerous legacy projects. The Italian delegation also celebrated acts of extraordinary sportsmanship, recalling bobsledder Eugenio Monti lending equipment to rivals at the 1964 Innsbruck Games, an act that sacrificed victory but embodied the Olympic spirit.
The overarching message of the UN is that the values learned through sport—fairness, courage, and teamwork—mirror the principles needed to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and cooperative world, making the Winter Olympics a platform for hope and global unity.
