Cultural exchanges to get a boost

Beijing 2022 to ‘promote greater understanding of China’, set green benchmark for future hosts, says IOC member

ATHENS — Beijing 2022 will promote a deeper understanding of Chinese culture to the world, according to Spyros Capralos, Hellenic Olympic Committee president and International Olympic Committee member.

Beijing is poised to become the first city in the Olympic Movement’s history to host both Summer and Winter editions of the Games.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Capralos highlighted the cultural significance of the Games, saying China’s 5,000-year-old civilization is admired and respected worldwide. Visitors can see the characteristics of this culture everywhere, from people’s behavior and their hospitable attitude, to their artistic expression, he added.

“There is no doubt that hosting the Olympic Games will help promote other countries’ and peoples’ understanding of Chinese culture. Besides, this is one of the main missions of the IOC. The Olympic Games bring people together and promote cultural exchange by removing all barriers of religion, race or language,” the official stressed.

Capralos said the world can learn a lot from China and that it is a privilege to have the opportunity to experience Chinese culture and learn different aspects of Chinese civilization during the Olympic Games.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be one of the greenest Olympic Games, setting an example for future generations, he added.

“The whole world is witnessing the remarkable work that the country has done to create what I believe will be one of the greenest events in the history of the Olympic Games,” said Capralos, adding that China’s role in protecting the environment by staging a green Olympics will set a benchmark for future hosts of the Games.

It is most impressive, for example, that under the Beijing organizing committee’s Sustainability Plan, several venues for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics will be reused for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, he continued.

China’s carbon offsetting measures and green energy methods have sent a clear signal to the world that the country is committed to the mission of advocating carbon neutrality and achieving sustainable development, Capralos noted.

It is clear that Beijing 2022 organizers are prioritizing environmental protection, resource conservation and eco-friendliness, he stressed.

“I hope that China’s strategy will lead the way for the future and revolutionize the entire process of staging and delivering Olympic Games,” Capralos said.

Meanwhile, Norza Zakaria, president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, said the Beijing Winter Olympics provide an opportunity for the world to rejuvenate and move into a postpandemic era.

“With Beijing becoming the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, we are truly honored to be involved in this milestone,” Norza said during the flag handover ceremony for the Malaysian delegation on Jan 19.

“We congratulate the city of Beijing, her people, and the People’s Republic of China for this historic achievement.”

Beijing is also an excellent host due to China’s effective measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic, making the city a safe and ideal location for the event, Norza told a news conference following the ceremony.

Sports and sports events are important mechanisms to help the world recover from the pandemic, Norza opined, adding that Beijing will be an excellent host and will deliver a very successful Winter Games.

“So I think with the Playbook, the safety protocol, with the bubble that has been created for Beijing ... I think it is the safest place to be and I’m very sure that Beijing is the place that all athletes want to go and achieve their dream,” he added.

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, who participated in the flag handover ceremony, thanked Malaysia for its firm support for the Games.

He expressed his admiration for the Malaysian athletes, who despite coming from a tropical country, overcame difficulties to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics as best they could.

The Malaysian delegation comprises two athletes: Alpine skier Jeffrey Webb, who will compete in the men’s slalom, and Aruwin Idami Salehhuddin, who will go in the women’s slalom and giant slalom.