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A community with a shared future for mankind well summarises the mission of the Olympic Movement-Western Net (Shaanxi News Net)

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George Hessler A senior international communication strategist in the United States, he has provided bid planning plans for many Olympic bid cities; an authoritative expert in the study of Coubertin, the father of the Olympics, and author of “The Idealist” and “The Sayings of Coubertin” and other monographs

A community with a shared future for mankind is a good summary of the mission of the Olympic Movement

Xiao Lianbing Secretary General of International Exchange, Cooperation and Communication Center of Guangming Daily

A community with a shared future for mankind is a good summary of the mission of the Olympic Movement

On October 18, 2021, the torch of the Beijing Winter Olympics was successfully lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Greece. The picture shows the actor Giorgiou, who plays the highest priestess, taking the torch.Xinhua News Agency

A community with a shared future for mankind is a good summary of the mission of the Olympic Movement

On December 15, 2021, Anastasia (left) and Alexander from France showed their participation in the Youth Painting Invitational Competition themed “Welcome to the Beijing Winter Olympics” held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France work.Xinhua News Agency

The Beijing Winter Olympics will strengthen the concept of “events can be held safely during the epidemic”

Xiao Lianbing: Dear Mr. Hessler, you have been engaged in the dissemination of the Olympic movement for a long time. The new crown pneumonia epidemic has ravaged the world for nearly two years. What impact has it brought to the Olympic movement?

Hessler:Over the past 125 years, the mission of the modern Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games held in various countries have withstood numerous challenges. Everyone who knows Olympic history has read a passage like this: “The International Olympic Movement has endured two world wars, the Great Depression, political boycotts, terrorism, near bankruptcy, city bribery, referee cheating, and sports teams. , federations, coaches and athletes systematic doping and cover-ups.”

As we all know, the Olympics have been cancelled three times in modern history: once in 1916 during World War I; and twice in 1940 and 1944 during World War II. The Olympics were never postponed after World War II until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were finally postponed to 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an existential threat to the Olympics, but the Olympic Movement and the Games have stood the test. Even so, in order to better continue the Olympic movement in the future, human beings still need to make greater efforts.

The pandemic has provided a convenient excuse for critics to oppose the Olympics on the grounds of health, safety and economic costs, and they have often used the media buzz generated by the games to draw attention to political issues in the host country. Many critics, fearing that hosting the Tokyo Olympics would trigger a super-spreading event that would lead to a continued deterioration of the epidemic globally, advocated the cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Neither the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee nor the International Olympic Committee had enough time to develop effective guidelines for epidemic prevention and control to ensure the health and safety of athletes and spectators. The Tokyo Olympics had to be postponed for a year. Then we had effective vaccines and guidelines for epidemic prevention. The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee is aware that the Games can be held in a closed environment to safeguard the health and safety of all participants. The success of the Tokyo Olympics proved to the world that international events can be played without posing a serious threat to humanity.

Now we know that the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee have developed a scientific “playbook”. A study carried out five months after the Olympics showed that the infection rate of Covid-19 in Japan actually declined during the games, with a small number of cases among the athlete group being effectively contained within the closed zone. The game continued through live broadcast, attracting more than 3 billion viewers around the world.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will undoubtedly further strengthen the concept of “the event can be played safely during the epidemic”. In the history of the world Olympic Games, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will jointly prove that the Olympic Movement can overcome every challenge and that future generations can still celebrate the great human spirit through the Olympic Games.

“Each city has made a positive contribution to the Olympic spirit”

Xiao Lianbing: As a senior international communication strategist, you have provided planning solutions for the Olympic bid cities. Please introduce the relevant circumstances of the application and the significance of the application.

Hessler:Each city’s bid report contains two sections: the “why” and the “how.” “How to do it” is mainly about the technical aspects, explaining how to hold a successful Olympic Games from the level of intricate and specific details. “Why” mainly conveys a city’s emotional vision for the Olympic Games, describes the uniqueness of its culture, introduces the celebration of the bid for urban design, and reflects the city’s dream of better development through the Olympic Games. Every bidding city has made a positive contribution to the development of the Olympic spirit in its own country and the world, because the bidding activity itself tells the great story of the Olympic concept in dozens of countries around the world, and countries compete to participate in the bidding, and also contribute a lot of talents to the Olympic movement .

Xiao Lianbing: You have contributed not only to the United States, but also to other countries’ successful bids for the Olympics. Please tell your story about Beijing’s bid to host the Olympic Games.

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Hessler:I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to assist Beijing in its bid to host the 2008 Olympics and to tell Beijing’s story.

Given the political resistance of some countries to Beijing’s Olympic bid at the time, our communication strategy revolved around the undeniable fact that “China is changing.” We articulate Beijing’s bid for the Olympics as China’s desire to go global and participate in the international community. We have sent this message to the world: China is the engine of the world economy, and China has been closely connected with the world through trade, but what finally moved the IOC is the strong desire of the Chinese people for the Olympics and bringing the Olympics to the world The historical significance of the most populous country. At that time, 72-year-old He Zhenliang was a senior member of the International Olympic Committee from China and was highly respected by Olympic colleagues around the world. He was the last speaker to speak at the IOC plenary session in Moscow on July 13, 2001. He started his statement with a memorable value proposition: “My dear friends and colleagues, no matter which decision you make today, you will make history, but only one decision can change history.” This simple and The profound opening made the world see the pioneering significance of hosting the Olympic Games in China. That afternoon, the International Olympic Committee voted to grant Beijing the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

In 2008, China held a wonderful sports and cultural celebration, and I am honored to be able to participate in the planning of the theme of the Beijing Olympic Games. On the field, the historic significance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics can be seen in two extraordinary athletes: the unstoppable Usain Bolt, who won the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint world championships in 2012 After successfully defending his title at the 2016 London Olympics and Rio 2016, Bolt became the greatest sprinter in world history; the other was the unrivaled swimmer Michael Phelps, who was only in Beijing. He won 8 gold medals in the Olympic Games, breaking the record set by Mark Spitz 36 years ago at the Olympic Games; plus the subsequent Olympic games, Phelps won a total of 28 Olympic gold medals. Just imagine if the IOC pandered to individual countries’ political opposition to Beijing’s eligibility bid and backed down in the face of harsh criticism from their Chinese opponents, Bolt, Phelps and thousands of other lesser-known athletes would be in that position. Unique moments on the historic world stage can be stripped away.

Sports is a means to achieve the grand goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind

Xiao Lianbing: Like the concept advocated by the Olympic Movement, the values ​​shared by all mankind are also formed from the development of the times. The new crown pneumonia epidemic shows that human beings share a common destiny and shoulder common responsibilities. Do you think the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind will become the common value of mankind in the post-pandemic era?

Hessler:The core of the Olympic spirit, or the vision of the Olympic Movement, is to unite all human beings in friendship and peace through sport. Through the ritual and symbolism of the Olympic Games, as well as the friendly competition on the world stage, the Olympic Movement is a constant reminder to peoples around the world that what we have together is stronger than what divides us. This is why the Olympic Movement exists. From this perspective, the Olympic Movement recognizes that human beings live in a diverse community of destiny.

In 1980 Samaranch became the seventh president of the International Olympic Committee. Samaranch clearly understood the mission of the Olympic Movement: “The ideal we pursue is to bring the world together in peace for the benefit of all, regardless of race, religion, or political belief.” I think this sentence is remarkable. , because it does not use the word “sport” to define the ultimate goal of the Olympic Movement. Yes, “sports” is just a means. Judging from Coubertin’s initial vision for the Olympics, sports are a means to a larger goal, and this goal, as Chinese President Xi Jinping put it, is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. .

When I first worked on the Olympics, I remember reading this sentence from the Olympic Charter: “The purpose of the Olympic Movement is to make sport work for human development, so as to create a better, more peaceful, respectful of human dignity. The world.” I found it inspiring at the time, and I still read it now. Back to the question itself, I fervently hope that the Olympic Movement will continue to grow and become a bond of peace in the minds of the international community and peoples of all countries. If this can be achieved, the Olympic Movement will make people more deeply aware that human beings live in a community of destiny; those institutions that make us more united and stronger are indispensable to the world.

Xiao Lianbing: Please talk more about your understanding of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Hessler:This idea calls on mankind to find unity in diversity. This is also the call that Coubertin made when he founded the modern Olympic movement, to find unity in diversity and to meet on the field, an important step in building mutual respect for all nations regardless of cultural, religious, racial or political differences. In fact, a community with a shared future for mankind well encapsulates the Olympic Movement’s mission to build a better world through sports.

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During Coubertin’s Olympic career, he worked hard to make the Olympic Games universal. In the process of promoting sports everywhere, Coubertin hopes that the doors of the International Olympic Games will be open to everyone. Coubertin believed that the great mission of the Olympic Movement can only be realized when more and more countries host the Olympic Games. This is what he said in a 1936 interview with French journalist André Lang about the next Olympics, in which Coubertin responded to André’s view that “the Olympic movement is dead”, Reaffirms the Olympic Movement’s mission to develop sport in every country on the planet. He wants the IOC to remain politically neutral so that every country can eventually host the Games.

The Olympics are an excellent platform to express the sacred ideal of human unity

Xiao Lianbing: After writing “The Idealist: The Story of Baron Pierre de Coubertin”, your new book “The Story of Coubertin” will be published in Chinese by Unite Press in 2021. What was your motivation for writing these two books?

Hessler:In my opinion, Pierre Coubertin is one of the greatest unforgettable heroes in history. Just as I believe the Olympic Movement holds great promise for the future of the world, I believe that Coubertin’s story can be a source of inspiration for people around the world as he created the Olympic Movement and its philosophical foundations and values. In fact, one of the best ways to understand the true meaning and ultimate potential of the Olympic movement is to understand Coubertin’s vision and his hopes for the Olympics. When I learned about his story, I couldn’t resist the urge to share it with my friends. I integrated my understanding of Coubertin into the work I participated in the Olympic bid, and I looked forward to bringing this understanding to more people. That’s why I wrote the books “The Idealist” and “The Saying of Coubertin.”

In 1989, when I was first hired for the Atlanta bid, I was sent to Lausanne, Switzerland, to study Olympic history and the Olympic bid. For the first time, I discovered that the Olympics are part of a global movement to bring humanity together in a common bond of friendship and peace through sport and global competition for a better world. I was struck by this discovery, and I later learned that this incredible international sport was founded in the early struggles of Pierre Coubertin, who went to great lengths to make the Olympics a permanent part of the world calendar.

I was struck by the fact that Coubertin created a movement that the whole world knew and admired. Perhaps my early life can explain why I find Coubertin’s story so important. I was born in 1947, just two years after the end of World War II, and I was growing up in a time when people lived in fear of the eventual destruction of humanity by nuclear war.

After I graduated high school, the Vietnam War began, and for the first time in my life, I saw the effects of military conflict penetrate every American family. I opposed that war and gradually became an anti-war advocate, participating in marches to protest America’s aggressive policies in Southeast Asia. Pursuing peace has become my lifelong passion, and I have always believed that our world needs idealists.

So when I came across Coubertin and learned about his mission to use sport to promote peace, at 40, I seemed to have found a new purpose in life. I couldn’t wait to share his story and philosophy, so it took me four and a half years to write “The Idealist” and then “The Sayings of Coubertin,” two books that can be said to be my pursuit of a new purpose in life product.

Xiao Lianbing: What is your interpretation of the Olympic Games and its spirit?

Hessler:In today’s challenging times, the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement are an excellent platform to express the sacred ideal of human solidarity on a global level. When people in various countries see the best young athletes in the world bringing honor to their homeland in peaceful competition, the infection they receive reflects the Olympic spirit. Even though many people may not understand the philosophical value of a sport, they can at least learn who is the world number one in a sport by watching the Olympics.

Does being faster, taller, stronger really matter to our world? Is it important for us to know who can run the 100m fastest, who can jump the highest, who can lift the most weight over his head? If the audience is the only measure, the answer is undoubtedly yes, all over the world. In a world filled with bad news and division today, the discussion of the Olympics and the performance of athletes is crucial.

But there is one more group than the global audience watching the Olympics, not the sports journalists or broadcasters covering the event, not the brand sponsors who spend billions of dollars, but the athletes themselves, those who have surpassed themselves generation after generation, They have the courage and determination to challenge themselves and prove to the world, to themselves, and to their families, that they are the best in the world. It was their achievements that captivated audiences across the globe and inspired the Olympic spirit in too many people during the Olympics.

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The role of sport has always been to build bridges, not walls

Xiao Lianbing: Some countries have politicized the Olympics under the guise of defending human rights. What do you think of this?

Hessler:The Olympics are not only the greatest sporting event in the world, but also the greatest media event. Now, about half of the world‘s population, or more than 3 billion people, watch the Olympics. That means the Olympics are an extremely tempting political platform. For those of us who run the Olympic movement, as Coubertin said, it is important to remain politically neutral and support the Olympics in any host country. The current IOC president has also forcefully articulated this principle many times.

In September 2013, Thomas Bach addressed the United Nations two months after his election as IOC president, calling on all nations to recognize the role sport can play in “building a better and more peaceful world“. He pointed out: “In the relationship between sport and politics, it must be clear that the role of sport is always to build bridges, not walls. Sport represents dialogue and understanding that transcends all differences.” He said: “Sport, especially the Olympics Sport is the source of understanding the diversity of cultures, societies and lifestyles across the globe. We never blame or exclude anyone. For this reason, we oppose boycotts of any kind. Boycotts are incompatible with sportsmanship and deprive sport of peace, A means of working towards mutual understanding and solidarity.”

Xiao Lianbing: At the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee in July 2021, the Olympic motto officially added “more unity”. Why did the IOC revise the Olympic motto?

Hessler:The new crown pneumonia epidemic has made mankind realize the importance of strengthening solidarity. As IOC President, Bach has often emphasized the need for greater unity in our world and among members of the Olympic family. I’m not surprised that the IOC launched its “Stronger Together” campaign a few years ago, and that “more together” is placed in the new Olympic motto, which is an appropriate response to the current global collaborative response to the pandemic.

Xiao Lianbing: How do you interpret the theme slogan of the Beijing Winter Olympics “Together to the Future”?

Hessler:Considering the background of the epidemic, I think the theme slogan of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is very meaningful. It is a slogan full of affinity and charisma, and it is also very important to the long-term vision of the Olympic movement and the world. The theme slogan is essentially a call for human solidarity, a call to acknowledge the fact that human beings are connected by common experiences. Focusing on our shared future, the theme slogan expresses the idea that bringing people together for the Olympics is actually strengthening our bonds that span our national, political, religious and racial all boundaries of the aspect.

At the same time, it is an optimistic theme slogan that fits well with the Olympic Movement’s mission and commitment to unite humanity. The theme slogan, which emphasizes “together”, is also a direct response to the new Olympic motto, in which the Olympic Movement and China share the same vision.

Beijing Winter Olympics will allow athletes to realize their dreams

Xiao Lianbing: What do you expect from the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Hessler:In fighting the epidemic and fulfilling its commitment to the global sports community and the Olympic Movement, China will boost the confidence of all mankind. Beijing has made incredible efforts in the field of winter sports infrastructure that will make it possible for athletes to realize their dreams.

I’m excitedly looking forward to following the Beijing Winter Olympics on TV, computer and mobile. The Beijing Winter Olympics venues look beautiful and the whole operational planning between Beijing and the mountains is great. As an Olympic enthusiast, and of course as an American, I’ll be watching closely to see if Mikaela Shiffrin can set multiple ski records in Beijing. Shiffrin is only 26 years old, but already one of the greatest skiers in history, she plans to participate in 5 different events in Beijing: slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom, downhill and Nordic two, when the world will Follow her. I’m sure the story of her winning the medal will be passed down for years, and the diplomatic boycott has long been forgotten.

In my opinion, the whole world is currently in an atmosphere of political confrontation, which is one of the reasons why I fully support the Olympic Movement. Our world is a world divided by differences of ethnicity, religion, race, ideology, politics, etc., but all these divisions can be accommodated as long as we have a dialogue. And war is arguably the worst kind of division, and it means the end of dialogue. I believe that the leaders of every country can find common ground for dialogue and avoid the tragedy of conflict, and the Olympic Movement can and should be a major part of that consensus.

I hope and believe that the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics can unite people around the world to contribute to a better and more peaceful world.


Editor: Liu Siyu



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