Winter Olympics Cities Development Forum at the Winter Expo: Chinese and international guests discuss the sustainable development of Olympic legacy

On October 18, the 2019 International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo’s Olympic Cities Development Forum was held at the China National Convention Center. Government organizations from both China and abroad, officials from Olympic cities, and experts and scholars in the field of the Winter Olympics delivered keynote speeches and participated in roundtable dialogues on various topics such as Olympic preparation experience, utilization of Olympic venues, and the inheritance of Olympic legacy, offering insights and voices for the development of Olympic cities.

The forum was chaired by Wang Wei, Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association. Han Zirong, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; Liu Jingmin, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association; Fu Xiaohui, Secretary General of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association; Xu Zhou, President of IDG Asia; Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation and member of the Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission; Stefan Froberg, Deputy Director of the Sports Department of Helsinki; and Johan Olav Koss, Vice President of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, attended the forum and delivered keynote speeches.

Liu Jingmin, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association, delivers a speech

As one of the key forums of the Winter Expo, the Olympic Cities Development Forum plays an important role in strengthening the exchange of experience in inheriting Olympic legacy, pooling wisdom for the development of the ice and snow industry, promoting the popularization and development of ice and snow sports, and publicizing and showcasing the vision of the Beijing Winter Olympics. In his speech, Liu Jingmin, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association, stated that as the organizer of the Winter Expo and the Olympic Cities Development Forum, the association will fully integrate resources, build a cooperation platform, ensure the success of each Winter Expo, and promote the popularization of ice and snow sports and the development of the ice and snow industry in China. At the same time, it will also fully participate in and support the preparation of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, continue striving to deliver a “fantastic, extraordinary, and excellent” Olympic event, and make new contributions to planning and inheriting the “Dual-Olympics Legacy” and promoting the sustainable development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Han Zirong, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, delivers a keynote speech

During his speech, Han Zirong, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, played a video showcasing the transformation and development of Shougang, highlighting its contributions to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and its rebirth driven by the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics — the story of Shougang’s Olympic legacy. Planning, managing, and making full use of the Olympic legacy to benefit the general public and achieve a win-win for the Olympic Movement and urban development is one of the important responsibilities of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee. On this, Han Zirong said in his speech: “We have formulated and released the ‘Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Legacy Strategy Plan,’ which outlines legacy plans in seven areas — sports, economy, society, culture, environment, urban development, and regional development — across 35 fields. Through scientific planning, management, creation, and utilization of the outcomes of the Winter Olympics preparations, we aim to bring long-term, positive benefits to the host city and its residents.”

Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation and member of the Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission, delivers a keynote speech

“The Shougang Park in Beijing is about to host the first competition under the partnership between the International Ski Federation and China.” According to Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation and member of the Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission, the 2019 FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup will be held this December at the Shougang Park in Beijing. In addition, the International Ski Federation has various levels of cooperation with ski resorts in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, hoping that these collaborations will encourage more people to participate in winter sports and thereby promote the development of China’s ice and snow industry.

Fu Xiaohui, Secretary General of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association, delivers a keynote speech

Inheriting Olympic legacy is an eternal theme of the Olympic Movement and Olympic cities. Fu Xiaohui, Secretary General of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association, delivered a keynote speech titled “Inheriting the Dual-Olympics Legacy, Creating a Better Future.” From four aspects — enhancing the quality of Beijing as a city, realizing Beijing’s sports dreams, creating a bright future for urban development, and practicing the people-centered philosophy — he elaborated in depth on the significant contributions made by the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association in inheriting Olympic legacy.

Stefan Froberg, Deputy Director of the Sports Department of Helsinki, delivers a keynote speech

“Once an Olympic city, always an Olympic city.” Helsinki in Finland is one of the Olympic cities that has sustained the legacy of the Winter Olympics. Stefan Froberg, Deputy Director of the Sports Department of Helsinki, introduced: “The 1952 Winter Olympics left Helsinki with many valuable legacies, including infrastructure and the Olympic spirit. But these legacies were not left idle — they have been continuously inherited. Even today, the legacy of the Winter Olympics still influences everyone living in Helsinki.”

 

Johan Olav Koss, Vice President of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, delivers a keynote speech

As an ancient kingdom of ice and snow, Norway has hosted two Winter Olympics and has extensive experience in Winter Olympics preparation and Olympic legacy planning. Johan Olav Koss, Vice President of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, shared at the forum Norway’s initiatives in developing winter sports and its cooperation with China in this field. “Norway is very willing to share the valuable experience of hosting two Winter Olympics with China, to assist in the preparation of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China and the development of winter sports in the country,” he said.

Roundtable Dialogue: “Olympic Legacy Strategy and Sustainable Urban Development”

Subsequently, the forum held a roundtable dialogue on the theme of “Olympic Legacy Strategy and Sustainable Urban Development.” The dialogue was chaired by Zhang Li, Vice President of IDG China, and included participants such as Anruofu, Commercial Counselor of the Norwegian Embassy in China; Du Peide, Director of the Finnish Winter Sports Centre; Yin Shuguo, Deputy Director of the Overall Planning Department of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee; Dong Liang, Deputy District Chief of Yanqing District, Beijing; Wang Tingkai, Secretary of the Jilin Municipal Party Committee in Jilin Province; Liang Jie, Deputy General Manager of Shougang Group Co., Ltd.; and Benoît Robert, General Manager of the Club des Sports des Alpes in France. The participating guests engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as leveraging resource advantages to boost the local ice and snow industry and serve regional sports development.

Under the global consensus on sustainable development, the role and value of Olympic legacy are increasingly valued. The 2019 International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo’s Olympic Cities Development Forum gathered global wisdom and industry strength, sparked insightful exchanges and shared experiences, pooled energy for the strategy of Olympic legacy and the sustainable development of cities, and helped drive innovation and upgrade in China’s ice and snow industry.