(Source: https://twitter.com/sochi2014_ru/statuses/430613508892278785)

Olympic Truce Wall to unite athletes in the name of peace.

The symbolic Olympic Truce Wall opened in the Coastal Olympic Village on February 4. By Olympic Movement's tradition, the Olympic Truce Wall is installed in the Olympic Villages a few days before the Games open, in order to let the athletes from different countries to leave their wishes of keeping peace in the world and supporting the idea of Olympic Truce.

Olympic Truce Wall became a kind of appeal to the athletes from dozens of countries – Messengers of Peace and holders of the idea of International Olympic Movement. "Russian Youth salutes you, Athletes of Winter Olympics in Sochi, the Messengers of Peace. You represent different countries and continents, but all are united by sports. The Sochi 2014 Games demonstrate the unity of the people in the diversity of cultures, religions and philosophies. The spirit of the Olympic Truce is in this. "Together, let's call on all people to respect the Olympic Truce and strive for long-term world peace," says the message to the future generations, inscribed on the Wall. Olympic Truce Walls were installed in both, the Coastal and Mountain Olympic Villages for the period of the Games.

Each wall is made of five panels, representing the number of Olympic rings. The height of the Wall blocks alternates: it is either 1924 mm, which symbolizes the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, or 2014 mm, which symbolizes the year, when Sochi hosted first in Russian history Olympic Winter Games. This way, organizers have reflected important milestones in the history of the "white" Games. The idea and design of the Olympic Truce Wall were developed by one of the Sochi 2014 volunteers. During the sports competitions, athletes and honored guests will be able to sign the Olympic Truce Wall, expressing their support for the UN resolution on keeping peace in the world during the Olympic Games.

The Ancient Greek tradition of the "Olympic Truce" (ékécheiria) dates back to the 8th century BC and has since served as a sacred principle of the Olympic Games. Peace was declared amongst nations and people during the sporting competitions, so that all athletes could arrive at and return from their events safely. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee renewed this tradition by calling upon states to respect the Olympic Truce. In 2000, the International Olympic Committee founded the Olympic Truce International Organization to promote the ideas of harmony and peace.