At the closing ceremony for the olympic winter games pyeongchang 2018 on 25 february, pyeongchang will hand over the olympic flag to beijing, signalling the transition to the next olympic winter games host.
During the Ceremony, Beijing 2022 will focus on welcoming the world as a central theme in its eight-minute performance.
“We will be welcoming all the friends from all corners of the world, including the athletes, to the Olympic Winter Games 2022,” said Beijing 2022 Closing Ceremony Director Yimou Zhang, who is a celebrated film director who also directed the Beijing 2008 ceremonies. “It will be unique. The internet will also be used for the interactions between the Chinese people and the rest of the world. Chinese culture and the essence of our traditions will be included.”
Beijing is prepared to continue the excitement for Olympic winter sport, with its vision of producing a “Joyful Rendez-vous upon Pure Ice and Snow” for its Olympic project. As a part of its journey to hosting the Winter Games, the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee has set out to encourage 300 million people in China to participate in winter sports.
With four years still to go, Beijing 2022 is already on its way to delivering on that vision. Last year, more than 20,000 Chinese citizens from nine provinces took part in Olympic Day celebrations alone, while Beijing 2022 also organised “Olympic culture camps”, which allowed participants to practise both summer and winter Olympic sports.
“Part of this goal for us is to inspire the youth of China with the Olympic spirit, building a connection for the Olympic Movement with youth from all corners of the world,” Beijing 2022 Director of Media and Communications YeuChang said. “Secondly, we are hoping to encourage millions of people in China to embrace winter sports. We believe with more people enjoying winter sports, happiness and good health will be a natural result.”
The efforts are already proving successful, with a 30 per cent increase in participation in winter sports and 150 new winter events in the Beijing area.
Beijing 2022 is also committed to hosting sustainable Olympic Winter Games that will benefit the region for years to come. Among the 12 competition and non-competition venues in the Beijing zone, 11 are legacies from Beijing 2008, while all new venues will be constructed in accordance with best sustainability practices.
In late 2017, the Organising Committee unveiled its emblem, which reflects the combination of traditional and modern elements of Chinese culture, and embodies the passion and vitality of winter sports.
Inspired by 冬, the Chinese character for “winter”, the emblem resembles a skater at the top and a skier at the bottom to represent Olympic winter sports. Reiterating its vision for the Winter Games, the use of blue in the emblem represents dreams, the future and the purity of ice and snow, while red and yellow symbolise passion, youth and vitality.
“Finally, our aim is to create a harmonious world of better mutual understanding: one that focuses on continuous communication and friendship,” Chang said. “By hosting an Olympic event, Beijing creates an important platform for cultural exchange between the East and the West.”
Source: News Agencies
