On the eve of the Olympic flame-lighting for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the Mayors of Ancient Olympia, Ilida and Sparta gathered in Olympia to sign a declaration of the Olympic Truce, highlighting once again the role of the Olympic Games as a symbol of peace and unity. The declaration was co-signed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, as well as other prominent personalities and organisations, like HOC President and IOC member Spyros Capralos, the President of the International Olympic Academy Isidoros Kouvelos, the former Prime Minister and President of the International Olympic Truce Center Giorgos Papandreou, the former Minister Fani Petralia, the HOC Vice President Stelios Angeloudis and the HOC General Secretary Emmanouil Kolimbadis.