Arent Fox LLP Works with Truce Foundation of the USA to Promote Awareness of the Olympic Truce During Beijing 2008 Games
LOS ANGELES – AUGUST 21, 2008 – As the historic Games of the XXIX Olympiad draw to a successful close in Beijing, Arent Fox LLP salutes the efforts of the Truce Foundation of the USA – an organization that Arent Fox represents on a pro bono basis – which works to promote increased awareness of the personal and community benefits of individuals affirming personal Truce Oaths consistent with the Olympic Truce.
The Olympic Truce was first adopted among the city-states of ancient Greece in 776 BC, calling for the suspension of all hostilities and conflicts for the duration of the original Olympic Games. The truce was observed until 393 AD, spanning 12 centuries, making it one of the longest accords in recorded history.
The tradition of the Olympic Truce was revived in 1992 when the International Olympic Committee called upon the world community to observe the truce in the modern era. In 1993, during its 48th Session, the United Nations General Assembly urged its member states to observe the Olympic Truce.
Arent Fox is proud of its role in assisting the Truce Foundation of the USA in its mission to encourage the nations of the world to observe the Olympic Truce and promote the peaceful ideals of the Olympic Games.
Arent Fox attorneys Amy Borlund and David Bayles have devoted numerous hours to assisting the Truce Foundation of the USA on a variety of legal matters, from filing trademark registration papers with the US Patent and Trademark Office to registering the Truce Foundation of the USA as a not-for-profit organization in California and applying for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service.
“It is a great honor to be working with the Truce Foundation of the USA,” said Mr. Bayles. “When the eyes of the world are turned to the Olympic Games, it is the perfect time for individuals and communities to internalize the ideals of the Olympic Games, turn away from our own conflicts and focus on non-hostile resolutions to contentious issues.”
Ms. Borlund said she is grateful that Arent Fox provides her the opportunity to donate much of her time to an organization such as the Truce Foundation of the USA. “I am so pleased to be working for a firm that places such priority on pro bono work and public service – at both the national and international level.”
“I am very proud of Amy and David’s efforts on behalf of the Truce Foundation of the USA and the impact it has had in Beijing and, hopefully, will continue to have well into the future,” said Robert C. O’Brien, the partner-in-charge of Arent Fox’s Los Angeles office. “Pro bono legal aid and public service are truly valued at Arent Fox and nothing exemplifies that ideal better than the firm’s ongoing commitment to the Truce Foundation and its mission.”
Hugh Dugan, founder of the Truce Foundation of the USA, who attended the Olympic Games in Beijing, expressed his appreciation for Arent Fox’s support: “Arent Fox has been an invaluable and steadfast ally of the Truce Foundation of the USA and its goals. Together, we create opportunities for international dialogue and understanding during the Games and beyond.”
Mr. O’Brien, while serving as a US Representative to the United Nations from 2005-2006, worked with Mr. Dugan, a senior U.S. diplomat in New York. O’Brien said he looks forward to working with the Truce Foundation of the USA for many years to come. “Hugh and I have worked on a number of important international projects over the years. Working to promote the principles of the Olympic Truce has been among the most rewarding of these efforts.”
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About Arent Fox:
Arent Fox LLP (www.arentfox.com), with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, DC and New York, is a recognized leader in areas including intellectual property, life sciences, real estate, healthcare, complex litigation and international arbitration. With nearly 350 lawyers nationwide, the firm represents Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations, foreign governments, and other entities.
About the Truce Foundation of the USA:
The Truce Foundation of the USA, which is based in New York City, is a non-profit and non-commercial organization dedicated to promoting an increased awareness of Olympic values, particularly those inspired by the Olympic Truce. The Foundation appreciates the cooperation of the International Olympic Committee’s Office of International Cooperation and Development and the United States Olympic Committee’s Office of International Relations.


