United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all nations Friday night to lay down their weapons and enter a truce of peace during the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this month.

"The Olympics and Para-Olympics celebrate the best of humanity. The International Olympics Committee and United Nations work closely together for global harmony and peace. In that spirit, we proclaim the Olympic truce and we call all parties to lay down their weapons and put aside their differences during the games," Ki-moon said in a message late Friday. "Let us all do more to uphold the ideas of equality and mutual respect. Let us build prosperity and dignity for all on a healthy planet. Peace begins with us."

The UN leader's message comes in the midst of a turbulent past few years, where terrorism attacks by the Islamic State have become recurring nightmares in parts of Europe, America and the Middle East.

The Olympic games started August 5 and will run through August 21.