古希臘是一個(gè)尚武的民族，在當(dāng)時(shí)古希臘民族是以城邦為單位的分散小國(guó)。他們各自為政，城邦間常有并吞和爭(zhēng)奪，沒有統(tǒng)一的君主。連年的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)需要體格健壯、行動(dòng)敏捷的士兵。所以集會(huì)比武是當(dāng)時(shí)君主所發(fā)明的一項(xiàng)培養(yǎng)合格士兵的手段。伊利斯城邦人占據(jù)著奧林匹亞，而斯巴達(dá)人一直想并吞這塊圣地。伊利斯城邦人頑強(qiáng)抵抗，而斯巴達(dá)人久攻不破，人民渴望和平，念祭祀和慶典活動(dòng)。

于是，伊利斯王和斯巴達(dá)王在公元前884年達(dá)成了一項(xiàng)定期在奧林匹亞舉行集會(huì)(即奧林匹克運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì))的協(xié)議，并簽定了《神圣休戰(zhàn)條約》。條約規(guī)定在舉行奧林匹克運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì)期間，凡是攜帶武器進(jìn)入奧林匹亞的人，也被認(rèn)為是背叛了神的人，當(dāng)受到懲罰；有力量而不懲罰這種背叛神的行為的人，也被認(rèn)為是對(duì)神的背叛。

《神圣休戰(zhàn)條約》還規(guī)定希臘各城邦不管任何時(shí)候進(jìn)行戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)，不允許侵入奧林匹亞圣區(qū)。即使是戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)發(fā)生在奧運(yùn)會(huì)舉行期間，交戰(zhàn)雙方都必須宣布停戰(zhàn)，準(zhǔn)備參加奧林匹克運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì)。停戰(zhàn)時(shí)間開始規(guī)定１個(gè)月，后延至3個(gè)月。停戰(zhàn)期間，凡是參加奧運(yùn)會(huì)的人，都將受到神的保護(hù)，是神圣不可侵犯的。

《神圣休戰(zhàn)條約》在當(dāng)時(shí)起到了熄滅戰(zhàn)火的保障作用，奠定了把奧運(yùn)會(huì)作為和平、友誼象征的基礎(chǔ)。它保證了古奧運(yùn)會(huì)如期舉行，不因戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)而中斷，這對(duì)維護(hù)促進(jìn)各民族之間的團(tuán)結(jié)友誼起到了積極作用，也推動(dòng)了古希臘文化的發(fā)展。可以說古代奧運(yùn)會(huì)是地理、政治、經(jīng)濟(jì)、宗教、戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)相互作用的共同產(chǎn)物，而促進(jìn)和平友好，反對(duì)侵略戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)、慶賀豐收和祭祀神靈等則是它的宗旨。

The tradition of the "Truce" or "Ekecheiria" was established in ancient Greece in the 9th century BC by the signature of a treaty between three kings. During the Truce period, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in total safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their respective countries.

In the past, Olympic Truce helped people and countries avoid wars and conflicts, and helped people develop exchanges and build friendship.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to revive this ancient concept in order to protect the interests of the athletes and sport in general, for it can still play an important role in today's volatile world.

1992年，國(guó)際奧委會(huì)和聯(lián)合國(guó)根據(jù)奧林匹克休戰(zhàn)原則聯(lián)合提出一項(xiàng)倡議，允許前南斯拉夫的運(yùn)動(dòng)員參加巴塞羅那奧運(yùn)會(huì)。在2000年悉尼奧運(yùn)會(huì)的開幕式上，韓國(guó)和朝鮮的的代表團(tuán)共同在朝鮮半島旗下入場(chǎng)。

In 1992, the first initiatives were launched by the IOC, in collaboration with the United Nations, allowing athletes of the former Republic of Yugoslavia to participate in the Barcelona Games. In 2000, during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Games, the South and North Korean delegations paraded in the stadium together under the flag of the Korean peninsula.

In July 2000, the International Olympic Truce Foundation (IOTF) was created with a view to promoting peace through sport and the Olympic ideal.

The Olympic Truce is symbolised by the dove of peace with the traditional Olympic flame in the background. In a world that is plagued by wars and animosity, the peace-dove symbol represents one of the IOC's ideals to build a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal.

The Olympic flame has brought warm friendship to all the people of the world through sharing and global togetherness. In the symbol, the flame is made up of colourful effervescent elements - reminiscent of festivities experienced in the celebration of the human spirit. These elements represent people of all races coming together for the observance of the Truce.