More than 18,000 volunteers served the “Ice and Snow Generation” with a smile, showing the world the style of Chinese youth
The volunteers of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were called the “Bird’s Nest Generation”, and the volunteers of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics were called the “Ice and Snow Generation” by many media. Since the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, more than 18,000 volunteers have been active in 41 business fields including sports competitions, venue management, language services, and news operations.
As a volunteer of the Beijing Winter Olympics Main Media Center, Wei Yining from the School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University is most often asked: Why do you want to be a Winter Olympics volunteer? On February 17, at a press conference with the theme of “Volunteers”, she said: “This experience is very valuable to me. I have learned professionalism and efficiency from media people, and I have also learned focus and hard work from athletes. This kind of spirit has deeply infected me, and this is something that will benefit me for the rest of my life.”
On the stage of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the volunteers gained valuable friendship and experience, and like a blossoming warm snowflake, they injected warmth and enthusiasm into this event with their sunny, energetic appearance and professional and dedicated service. Moved, showing the world the style of the young Chinese generation.
The stories of American snowboarder Tessa Maud and Tsinghua University volunteer Sun Zeyu have gone viral on social networks. After attending the opening ceremony, Tessa recorded a video to express her praise to Sun Zeyu, “The person who said ‘Welcome to China’ to me (at the opening ceremony), I can’t help crying every time I think of this. Tessa said, “They are so friendly, all the volunteers are very nice and caring. They are very happy to see us here, and we feel at home.” Sun Zeyu responded immediately after seeing the video: “All the love because Gather at the Beijing Winter Olympics, let’s go to the future together!”
In front of the bus stop of the National Cross Country Skiing Center in Zhangjiakou Division, volunteer Liu Yao guides Chinese and foreign reporters in the cold wind. The minus 20 degrees Celsius temperature frosted her protective face screen, which was captured on camera by Associated Press reporter Alexandra Tarantino. “They are all nice, kind, and trying to help us.” In the article, Alexandra paid tribute to the volunteers who stayed on the job. Knowing that her work has been recognized, Liu Yao said: “The cold will not wipe out our enthusiasm for serving the Beijing Winter Olympics. At the Winter Olympics, I can see people from all over the world communicate together, and I also feel that everyone A harmonious atmosphere of unity, struggle, fraternity. This is what attracts me most about the Winter Olympics.”
The volunteers have been praised by all parties, and the volunteer work has been carried out smoothly, which is also closely related to the large amount of work carried out by the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee. Teng Shengping, director of the Volunteer Department of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, said: “All volunteers have received systematic training before they officially started to serve, including general training, venue training and on-the-job training. Professional volunteers also received specialized training. In response to the challenges faced by some jobs, such as the low-temperature working environment, the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee has also passed professional training and built a complete security system, so that volunteers have no worries.
In order to create a warm working environment for volunteers, the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee has set up “Volunteer Homes” in every competition and non-competition venue where volunteers work. place. “Everyone gave full play to their imagination and talents, and used calligraphy, painting, green plants, paper-cuts, lanterns and other elements to design and arrange the volunteer home, so that the volunteer home has the functions of rest, learning, communication and team building. “Teng Shengping said, “This also achieves the goal of encouraging each other, motivating each other, and communicating with each other among volunteers.”
According to Huang Chun, deputy director of the Epidemic Prevention and Control Office of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, although volunteers have to contact a large number of people at work every day, since January 4, the closed-loop volunteer group has achieved zero infection. “This fully shows that this is a high-quality volunteer team. They have learned the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” well and strictly implemented the relevant epidemic prevention measures.”
The “Bird’s Nest Generation” uses self-confidence and enthusiasm to make the volunteer spirit deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. What will the “Ice and Snow Generation” leave behind? “The Olympic Games have left us not only the iconic buildings and regional new development of these cities, but also the quiet volunteering style and social civilization. I think these are the precious intangible heritage that the Winter Olympics have left us. It breeds the hope and future of the Olympics,” said Yan Jiarong, a spokesman for the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee.