UN General Assembly
1999

ancient Greek tradition of the Olympic truce. We hope that this Assembly, which has unanimously endorsed that project, will give its full support to the observance of the Olympic truce during the games of the year 2000 in Sydney, Australia, in Athens in 2004 and at all future Olympics, so that the event may become a momentous festival of excellence, cross-cultural dialogue and peace in our global village. From Cyprus to Bosnia, a “collection of moments” is providing a ray of hope that, one day, a united Balkans and South-Eastern Europe will belong to a united Europe: a family of nations, a bouquet of cultures, a kaleidoscope of ethnicities, where diversity is our strength and where borders are so profoundly respected that they cease to exist. Can we dare see that far? Do we dare not to? We dare to hope. Turning first to Cyprus: following the declaration on Cyprus by the leaders of the Group of Eight and Security Council resolutions 1250 (1999) and 1251 (1999) of last June, there is hope that a new initiative may break the