I\u2019m Mark Tewksbury and welcome to what promises to be an historic and incredible afternoon.<\/p>\n
Some of you may be wondering why a former Olympian might be asked to host a Talk by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.<\/p>\n
It may seem difficult to imagine today, but the Olympic Games were not founded by NBC, Nike and VISA.<\/p>\n
They were founded by peace activists.<\/p>\n
Individuals who believed that sport could encourage the \u201cestablishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three of those men quickly went on to win Nobel Peace prizes. Men such as:<\/p>\n
Elie Ducommun
\nFred\u00e9ric Passy
\nand
\nFred\u00e9ric Bajer<\/p>\n
I\u2019m privileged that I will soon share this stage with the 1989 recipient of this distinguished award.<\/p>\n
But today we also have a question to ask.<\/p>\n
When those men of peace met in Paris in 1894, were the Beijing Games what they really had in mind as they wrote their fundamental principles to the Olympic Charter.<\/p>\n
Principles which included that the practice of sport is a human right to be celebrated without discrimination in regards to a country or a person on the grounds of race, religion, politics, or gender.<\/p>\n
And the principle that to do otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.<\/p>\n
This coming August, thousands of athletes from around the world will compete at the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s celebrate their passion and their personal triumphs.<\/p>\n
But as we do, let\u2019s also honour those who remain oppressed through military occupation or imprisoned solely for their beliefs and faith.<\/p>\n
Au mois d\u2019ao\u00fbt prochain, des milliers d\u2019athl\u00e8tes de partout \u00e0 travers le monde viendront participer aux Jeux olympiques.<\/p>\n
C\u00e9l\u00e9brons leur passion et leur triomphe personnel.<\/p>\n
Mais, en m\u00eame temps, souvenons-nous de ceux qui sont oppress\u00e9s par des r\u00e9gimes militaires ou jet\u00e9s en prison \u00e0 cause de leur croyance et leur religion.<\/p>\n
This is truly a universal responsibility of global citizenship.<\/p>\n
Now I don\u2019t want to push the sports clich\u00e9s too far this afternoon, but let me add a personal observation, knowing a thing or two about sports.<\/p>\n
The pursuit of freedom, the quest for human rights may almost be the metaphorical relay.<\/p>\n
The race does not rest on the legs of a lone runner, but on a team, passing a baton from one to the other and sometimes even from one generation to the next.<\/p>\n
The finish line is not a 10 second dash down the track.<\/p>\n
But just as Olympic athletes persevere carrying that baton from one runner to the next, so will we.<\/p>\n
Together we will win freedom for those who are oppressed, for those who fear.<\/p>\n
Whether it is in Lhasa, Burma or Darfur. Freedom will win.<\/p>\n
Ensemble nous vaincrons l\u2019injustice et la peur, pour donner la libert\u00e9 \u00e0 ceux et celles qui ont tant souffert.<\/p>\n
Que ce soit \u00e0 Lhasa, en Birmanie ou au Darfour. Tous seront libres.<\/p>\n
But today, now, in this very arena, we can help keep the flame of Tibet\u2019s culture burning bright until the day that freedom is not our goal but our triumph.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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