Italy is taking the diplomatic initiative ahead of next year’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics — a call for a worldwide ceasefire.
The country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Antonio Tajani, says Rome will present the proposal to the United Nations before the Games begin in February 2026.
The idea, he explained, draws from an ancient Greek tradition that once saw warring city-states lay down their arms so athletes could travel and compete in peace.
The concept of an Olympic truce has often resurfaced, but modern history has rarely honoured it.
From the Cold War to the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine, global appeals for peace during the Games have mostly been ignored. Even during the 2024 Paris Olympics, fighting never stopped.
Tajani said Italy’s new proposal would include all conflicts — “from Ukraine to the Middle East.” He added, “We must be champions of peace.”
The announcement comes as the war in Gaza enters its second year. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, when the Hamas-led attack on Israel left 1,200 people dead.
In response to the unrelenting bombardment and humanitarian crisis, several Western nations — though not Italy — have recognised Palestinian statehood.
In Europe’s east, the war in Ukraine also drags on. Over three years since Russia’s invasion began, hundreds of thousands have died in what has become Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
Tajani said Italy’s proposal, which aligns with the United States’ 20-point peace plan for Gaza, is part of a message that the world must “never give up hoping for peace.”
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