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Pope hopes truce on wars can come from Paris Olympics 


Pope Francis leads Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, July 21, 2024. (Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti/Handout via Reuters)
Pope Francis leads Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, July 21, 2024. (Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti/Handout via Reuters)

Pope Francis said on Sunday he hoped the Paris Olympics would be an occasion for truces in the world's conflicts, urging athletes to be messengers of peace and models for young people.

The games start on July 26 with an opening ceremony on the River Seine that will feature about 10,500 athletes and over 100 heads of state and government.

During his weekly address to the crowds in St Peter's Square, the pope said he hoped that "according to the ancient tradition, the Olympics will be an opportunity to establish a truce in wars, by demonstrating a sincere desire for peace."

He mentioned the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and other countries, saying "let us not forget war is a defeat."

Last month the final statement of a Group of Seven (G7) leaders' meeting held in Italy included a unanimous call for a truce in global conflicts during the Olympic Games.

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    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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