BuildingcommunitywithasharedfutureformankindwellsummarizesgoalofOlympicMovement_GuangmingOnlineBuildingcommunitywithasharedfutureformankindwellsummarizesgoalofOlympicMovementGeorgeHirthler:Acampaigncommunicationsstrategistbytraining,aleadwriterorseniorcommunicationsstrategistonmanyinternationalOlympicbidcampaigns,aleadingexpertonthelifeandtimesofBaronPierredeCoubertin,andtheauthorofTheIdealist,CoubertinSpeak,etc.XiaoLianbing:Secretary-GeneraloftheCenterforInternationalExchange,CooperationandCommunication,GuangmingDailyBeijing2022OlympicWinterGamesistofurtherreinforcetheideathatglobaleventscanbeconductedinfullsafetyXiaoLianbing:DearMr.GeorgeHirthler,youhavelongbeenimmersedintheOlympicMovementoverthepast30years.Fornow,COVID-19hasragedworldwideformorethanayear.WhatistheimpactofthepandemiconOlympicGames?GeorgeHirthler:TheModernOlympicMovementhasfacednumerouschallengestoitsmissionandtheglobalcelebrationofitsGamesoverthelast125years.EverystudentofOlympichistoryhasheardabriefsummaryoftheOlympicMovement’striumphovertheseexternalthreats,oftenintheformofawell-knownproclamationthatgoessomethinglikethis:“TheOlympicGameshavesurvivedtwoworldwars,aGreatDepression,politicalboycotts,terrorism,nearbankruptcy,systematicdopingandcoverupsbyteams,federations,coachesandindividuals,cheatingbyjudgesandbriberyinbid-citycampaigns.”ItiswellknownthattheOlympicGameshavebeencancelledthreetimesinmodernhistory,oncein1916duringthecatastropheofWorldWarIandagainin1940and1944duringWorldWarII.ButpriortotheworldwideCovid-19pandemic,theGameshadneverbeenpostponeduntilthe2020TokyoOlympicswerefinallycelebratedayearlaterin2021.ThispandemicrosetothelevelofanexistentialthreattotheOlympicGames,callingintoquestiontheirveryexistence,buttheMovementandtheGamessurvived.However,ittooksomethingofasuperhumanefforttosustainthem.ThepandemicprovidedaconvenientplatformforcriticsoftheOlympicMovement—agrowingchorusofaveryvociferouscadreof“NoOlympics”activistswhoopposetheGamesprimarilyforeconomicreasons—andoftenusethemediacoveragecreatedbytheGamestogeneratevisibilityoverotherpoliticalissuesinhostingnations.ManycriticsfearedthatholdingtheTokyoGameswouldproduceasuperspreadereventthatwouldineffectworsenthepandemicallovertheworld—andcalledforthecancellationoftheGamesinTokyo2020.NeithertheTokyoOrganizingCommitteenortheIOChadsufficienttimetopreparetheprotocolsthatwouldguaranteethehealthandsafetyoftheathletesandallparticipants.Asaresult,theTokyoGameswerepostponedbyoneyear.ThesubsequentdevelopmentofeffectivevaccinationsandtheprotocolshelpedcreatetheconfidencethattheGamescouldbeconductedinaclosedenvironmentthatwouldprotectthehealthandwelfareofallparticipants.TokyoandtheIOCprovedthatglobaleventscouldgoforwardwithoutproducingagravethreattohumanity—andthat’swhattheydid.Wenowknow,scientifically,thattheTokyoorganizersandtheIOCcreateda“playbook”thatprotectedallthepopulationsimpactedbytheGames.Thelatestanalyses—fivemonthsaftertheGames—demonstratesthatcovidinfectionsinthebroadJapanesepopulationactuallydroppedduringtheGames,andthatthosefewcovidcasesbroughtinbyarrivingathleteswereeffectivelycontainedintheOlympicbubbleandwerecontrolledwhilethecompetitionproceededtounfoldinitsdramatictelevisedbroadcaststhatdrewaglobalviewingandstreamingaudienceofmorethanthreebillionpeople.TheBeijing2022OlympicWinterGameswillundoubtedlyfurtherreinforcetheideathatglobaleventscanbeconductedinfullsafety.Takentogether,Tokyo2020andBeijing2022willstandashistoricproofoftheOlympicMovement’sabilitytoovercomeeverychallengeandensurethatthebenefitsoftheworld’sgreatestcelebrationofhumanityarepreservedforfuturegenerations.EachbidcitycontributesinatangiblewaytodevelopmentofOlympicspiritXiaoLianbing:Asacampaigncommunicationsstrategistbytraining,youhavecontributedcommunicationsstrategiestonumerousinternationalOlympicbidcampaigns.WhatcommunicationsideashaveyouofferedtothesecitiesandwhataretheirrolesinpromotingtheOlympicspirit?GeorgeHirthler:Therearetwopartstoeverycity’sstory:thehowandthewhy.Thehowcoversthetechnicalside,andexplainshowtheGamesaregoingtobeconductedindeeplogisticaldetail.Thewhydeliversacity’semotionalvisionfortheGames,describestheuniquecharacterofitscultureandthecelebrationitwillproduceandembodiesitshopesanddreamsforstrengtheningtheOlympicMovementgloballyandchangingitsownhistoryintheprocess.EachbidcitycontributesinatangiblewaytothedevelopmentoftheOlympicspiritinitscountryandintheworld.ThosebidcitycontestsproducedsomeofthebeststorytellingandsomeofthebestnarrativesaboutthepoweroftheOlympicidealindozensofcountriesaroundtheworld.ThepublicbiddingcompetitionbroughtalotoftalenttotheOlympicmovement.XiaoLianbing:Youhaveworkedasalead-writerorseniorcommunicationsstrategistonteninternationalOlympicbidcampaigns,includingthewinningcampaignofBeijing2008.Whatarethebehind-scenestoriesoftheBeijing2008campaign?GeorgeHirthler:TheopportunityofalifetimecameasIhadthechancetohelpBeijingtellitsstoryforthe2008OlympicGames.SincetherewassomuchpoliticaloppositionaroundtheworldtotheBeijing2008campaign,wecreatedacommunicationsstrategyaroundtheundeniablenotionthat“Chinaischanging,”andwepositionedtheOlympicbidasanexpressionofChina’sdesiretoreachouttotheworldandbecomemoreengagedinthecommunityofnations.OurmessagewasbasedontheideathattheGameswouldacceleratethechangesalreadyunderwayinChinaasthecountrybuiltitseconomyintoamarketingpowerhouselinkedbytradetotheentireworld.However,itwasthehopesoftheChinesepeopleandthehistoricdimensionsofplacingtheGamesintheworld’slargestnationthatultimatelyappealedtotheIOC.Atthetime,the72-year-oldHeZhenliangwasChina’sseniorIOCmemberandhewashighlyreveredbyOlympiccolleaguesallovertheworld.HewasourfinalspeakeratourfinalpresentationinMoscowonJuly13,2001.Inhisappealtothevotingmembers,heopenedhispresentationwiththeunforgettablevalsuepropositionofourbid.“Mydearfriendsandcolleagues,”hesaid,“nomatterwhichdecisionyoumaketoday,youwillmakehistory,butonedecisionhasthepowertochangehistory.”ThatsimplecounterpointsummarizedtheextraordinaryhistoricopportunityofplacingtheGamesinChinaforthefirsttime.Thatafternoon,theIOCvotedtoawardthe2008OlympicGamestoBeijing.Andin2008asChinahostedabrilliantculturalcelebrationofamazingathleticism,IwashonoredtoseethecitybrandedwiththethemeIhadwrittenfortheGames,OneWorld,OneDream.ThehistoricdimensionsofBeijing2008weresymbolizedonthefieldofplaybytwoextraordinaryathletes:theirrepressibleUsainBolt,whowonthe100and200metersprintsandwentontobecomethegreatestsprinterinworldhistoryafterrepeatingthatfeatinLondon2012andRio2016,andtheunrivaledswimmer,MichaelPhelps,whobecamethegreatestsingleOlympianinhistoryashewoneightgoldmedalsandbrokeMarkSpitz’36year-old-recordfromMunich1972andwentontowinatotalof28Olympicmedalsincluding23gold.HadtheIOCrespondedtothepoliticaloppositiontoBeijing’scandidacyandfoldedinthefaceofthewitheringcriticismsofChinaopponents,Bolt,Phelpsandthousandsofotherlesscelebratedathleteswouldhavebeendeniedtheirsingularmomentsonthathistoricworldstage.Sportisameanstoagreaterend—buildingcommunitywithasharedfutureformankindXiaoLianbing:Thevalsuesthataresharedbyallhumansemergefromthedevelopmentofthetimes,sodotheOlympicGames.Theoutbreakofthepandemicandclimatechangehighlightthefactthathumanssharetheirdestinyandshouldercommonresponsibilities.Willtheconceptof"buildingacommunitywithasharedfutureformankind"becomeuniversalvaluesinthepost-pandemicera?GeorgeHirthler:AtthecoreofOlympism—thevisionoftheOlympicMovement—isadesiretouniteallhumanityinfriendshipandpeacethroughsport.ThroughtheritualsandsymbolismoftheGamesandfriendlycompetitionontheworld’sstage,theOlympicMovementstrivestoremindallofus,thepeopleofeverynation,thatthethingswehaveincommonaremuchmorepowerfulthanthethingsthatdivideus.Inthatregard,theraisond’etreoftheOlympicMovement—itsreasonforbeing—recognizesthatweareadiversecommunitywithashareddestiny.In1980,JuanAntoniosesamaranchofSpainwaselectedastheseventhpresidentoftheIOC.SamaranchclearlyunderstoodthemissionoftheOlympicmovement.IndescribingtheworkoftheOlympicMovementoverall,hesaid,"Wepursueoneideal,thatofbringingpeopletogetherinpeace,irrespectiveofrace,religionandpoliticalconvictions,forthebenefitofmankind."WhatIfindsoremarkableaboutthatstatementisthatitdoesn’tusethewordsporttodefinetheultimategoaloftheOlympicMovement.Yes,sportsisthemeans,butfromCoubertin’sfirstconceptionoftheGames,sporthasbeenameanstoagreaterend—andthatend,asPresidentXihasexpressedit,isthecreationof“acommunitywithasharedfutureformankind.”WhenIfirstgotinvolvedintheOlympicworld,IrememberreadingtheOlympicCharterwhichthenstatedsomethinglikethis:ThefundamentalgoaloftheOlympicMovementistoplacesporteverywhereattheserviceofhumanityinordertobuildabetter,morepeacefulworldconcernedwiththepreservationofhumandignity.Ifoundthatquoteinspiringthenanditisstillinspiringtoday.Toansweryourquestiondirectly:ItismyferventhopethattheOlympicMovementcontinuestogrowandgaingreaterrelevanceasaplatformofpeacewithinthecommunityofnationsandintheperceptionofthepeopleofeverycountry.Ifitdoes,itwillbringgreaterawarenesstothefactthatweareaglobalcommunitywithashareddestinyandthevalsueofthoseinstitutionsthatuniteandstrengthenusisundeniable.XiaoLianbing:Canyoupleasefurtherexplicateyourunderstandingoftheappealof“buildingacommunitywithasharedfutureformankind”?GeorgeHirthler:Frommyperspective,thatquotefromPresidentXiisanappealtofindunityinourdiversity.That’sthesameappealthatBaronPierredeCoubertinmadeinfoundingthemodernOlympicGames—tofindunityinourdiversityandtomeeteachotheronthefieldofplayasanimportantstepinbuildingmutualrespectbetweenallnationsregardlessofcultural,religious,ethnicorpoliticaldifferences.PresidentXihas,ineffect,summarizedverywellthemissionoftheOlympicMovement—tobuildabetterworld(throughsport).AcrossthecourseofhisOlympiccareer,PierredeCoubertinstrovetomaketheOlympicGamesuniversal.Inhisefforttopromotesporteverywhere,hewantedthedoorsofinternationalOlympiccompetitionopentoeveryone—andbelievedthathisgreatmissiononlywouldberealizedasmoreandmorecountrieshostedtheGames.ThatwasthepointhemadeinaninterviewrecordedbytheFrenchjournalistAndréLangin1936aboutthenextOlympics.InresponsetoLang’sclaimthatOlympismwasdead,CoubertindefendedtheprinciplethatthemissionoftheOlympicMovementwastocultivatesportineverycountryonearth.CoubertinwantedtheIOCtoremainpoliticallyneutralsothateverynationcouldultimatelyhosttheGames.OlympicGamesprovideuniqueglobalplatformforexpressionofhumansolidarityXiaoLianbing:Yournovel,TheIdealist,TheStoryofBaronPierredeCoubertin,waspublishedinChinain2018onthetenthanniversaryofBeijing2008,andyournewbook,CoubertinSpeaks,acollectionofquotesandcommentariesonCoubertin’swriting,cameoutinaChineseeditionlastyear.WhatmotivatedyoutowriteTheIdealistandtopublishcommentarieson365quotesfromCoubertin’swritings?GeorgeHirthler:Inmyview,PierredeCoubertinisoneofthehistory’sgreatestforgottenheroes.AndjustasIbelievetheOlympicMovementholdsgreatpromiseforthefutureofourworld,IbelievePierredeCoubertin’sstory—thestoryofthemanwhobirthedthisMovementandcreatedthephilosophicalfoundationandvaluesonwhichitcontinuestooperatetoday—canserveasasourceofinspirationforpeopleeverywhere.Infact,oneofthebestwaystounderstandthetruemeaningandultimatepotentialoftheOlympicMovement,istounderstandthevisionofPierredeCoubertinandhishopesforwhattheOlympicGamesmightbecome.AsIbegantounderstandhisstory,Ifeltcompelledtofindwaystoshareitwithfriendsatfirst,withOlympicbidsIwasworkingon,andthenwithabroaderaudience,whichiswhyIwroteTheIdealistandthenCoubertinSpeaks.WhenIwasfirsthiredtowriteAtlanta’sOlympicbidin1989andsenttoLausanne,SwitzerlandtostudyOlympichistoryandthebasicsofOlympicbidding,IdiscoveredforthefirsttimethattheOlympicGameswerepartofaglobalmovementdesignedtocreateabetterworldbyusingsportandglobalcompetitiontounitehumanityinacommonbondoffriendshipandpeace.Thatrevelationstunnedme—andthenIdiscoveredthisincredibleworldwidemovementwasfoundedandsustainedthroughitsearlystrugglesbyPierredeCoubertin,whogaveeverythinghehadtomaketheOlympicGamesapermanentpartoftheworld’scalendar.Iwasfascinatedbythefactthatthemancreatedaneventthatwasknownandadmiredallovertheworld.MyearlylifemayexplainwhyIfoundCoubertin’sstorysoimportant.Iwasbornin1947,barelytwoyearsaftertheendofWorldWarII,andIwasraisedinthe1950s,anerainwhichtheimminentthreatofnuclearwarwaspartofourdailyconsciousness.TheVietnamWar,whichstartedjustasIgraduatedfromhighschool,broughttheviolenceofmilitaryconflictintoeveryAmericanhomeforthefirsttimeduringmylife.AsIwasdevelopingintellectually,Ifoundmyselfopposedtothatwarandbecameananti-waradvocate,marchinginprotestsagainsttheU.S.policyofaggressioninSoutheastAsia.Thecauseofpeacebecameformealifelongpassion,anidealisticdreamthatI’vealwaysbelievedourworldneeds.SowhenIencounteredPierredeCoubertinforthefirsttimeandrealizedhehadharnessedglobalsportforapeacefulmission,IfeltasifIhaddiscoveredanewpurposeinlifeattheageof40.IfeltcompelledthentofindwaystosharehisstoryandhisphilosophyandTheIdealist,whichtookfourandahalfyearstowrite,andthenCoubertinSpeaks,aretwoproductsofthatnewfoundpurposeforpeace.XiaoLianbing:WhatisyourinterpretationofOlympicGamesanditsspirit?GeorgeHirthler:Inourtroubledtimes,theOlympicGamesandtheOlympicMovementthatsustainsthemareauniqueglobalplatformfortheexpressionofhumansolidarity.TheOlympicspiritisreflectedintheinfectiousthatpeoplefromeverynationfeelwhentheyseetheworld’sbestyoungathletescompetinginapeacefulcompetitiontobringhonortotheircountries.Whilemanypeoplemaynotrecognizethephilosophicalvalueofthesportembodiedinthecompetition,theydorecognizethevalsueofdiscovering—alongwitheveryoneelse—theanswertothequestionaboutwhoisthebestintheworldateachsport.Iscitius,altius,fortiusreallyimportanttoourworld?Isitimportantforustoknowwhoisreallyfastestat100meters,whocanleapthehighestoverthebar,whocanliftthegreatestweightoverhisorherhead?Iftheaudienceweretheonlymeasure,theanswerwouldbearesoundingglobalyes.TheGamesandthequestionstheyraiseabouthumanperformancemattergreatlytoaworldfacedwithbadnewsanddivisioneveryday.Butthere’ssomeoneelseevenmoreimportantthanthemassiveglobalaudiencethatwatchestheGames.Notthesportswritersorjournalistsorbroadcasterswhocovertheevents,notthesponsorswhopaybillionstomarketanassociationwiththebrands,buttheathletesthemselves,thosewhoriseineverygenerationwiththeverveanddeterminationtotestthemselvesagainstthebesttheworldhastoofferandprove,tothemselvesandultimately,totheirfamilies,thattheyarethebestintheworld.ItistheirachievementsthatdrawtheglobalaudienceandevoketheOlympicspiritinmillionsofheartsduringthecelebrationoftheGames.Roleofsportisalwaystobuildbridges,neverwallsXiaoLianbing:SomewesternpoliticiansseektopoliticizetheupcomingBeijingWinterOlympicGamesunderthepretextofdefendinghumanrights.HowdoyouseethisintheirreactiontotheWinterOlympicGames?GeorgeHirthler:TheOlympicGamesarenotonlytheworld’sgreatestsportingevent,theyareitsgreatestmediaevent.Asnoted,approximatelyhalftheworld’spopulation—morethanthreebillionpeople—watchaportionofeveryeditionoftheOlympicGames.ThismeansthattheGamesareanextremelytemptingpoliticalplatformforallmanner.ForthoseofusintheOlympicMovement,theimportantthing,asCoubertinsaid,istoremainpoliticallyneutralandsupporttheGamesinanyandeveryhostcountry.ThispointhasbeenmadeforcefullymultipletimesbythecurrentIOCpresident.TwomonthsafterhewaselectedpresidentoftheIOCinBuenosAiresinSeptemberof2013,ThomasBachaddressedtheUnitedNationsandspokeontheneedforallcountriestounderstandtherolethatsportcanplayin“buildingabetter,morepeacefulworld.”“…itmustalwaysbeclearintherelationshipbetweensportandpoliticsthattheroleofsportisalwaystobuildbridges.Itisnevertobuildwalls.Sportstandsfordialogueandunderstandingwhichtranscendalldifferences,”hesaid,“Sport,andtheOlympicMovementespecially,understandstheglobaldiversityofcultures,societiesandlifedesignsasasourceofrichness.Weneveraccuseorexcludeanyone.Forthisreason,weopposeboycottsofanykind.Boycottsareafundamentalcontradictiontothespiritofsport,deprivingitofthemeanstoworkforpeace,mutualunderstandingandsolidarity.”XiaoLianbing:TheIOCadded'Together'toofficialOlympicsmottoatthe138thsessioninJulythisyear.WhydidtheIOCreviseOlympicmotto?GeorgeHirthler:Thepandemicforcedliterallyeveryentitywherehumanbeingsinteracttore-evalsuatethewaytheyoperate.Sincebecomingpresident,ThomasBachhasoftenspokeoftheneedforgreatersolidarityinourworldandcertainlyamongthemembersoftheOlympicFamily.Andso,followingthethemeoftheStrongerTogetherpromotionalcampaigntheIOCmountedseveralyearsago,Iwasnotsurprisedtoseetheadditionofthewordtogetheraddedtofaster,higher,stronger—together.IntheoriginalLatin,theadditionofthewordunitasconveysthesenseoftogethernesswellcitius,altius,fortius—unitas.XiaoLianbing:HowdoyouunderstandthesloganforBeijingWinterOlympicGames“TogetherforaSharedFuture”?GeorgeHirthler:Giventhecontextofthepandemic,IthinktheBeijing2022sloganisrelevantandmeaningfulinimmediatetermsasaneventtheme,butalsoimportantasalong-termvisionforboththeOlympicMovementandourworld.Itstrikesmethatcentralideabehindthisslogan,itsthematicvision,isessentiallyacallforhumansolidarity,anappealforrecognitionofthefactthatweareallconnectedthroughthecommonexperienceoflifeonearth.Withitsfocusonoursharedfuture,themessageofBeijing2022putsforththeideathatincomingtogetherfortheGames,weare,infact,strengtheningthetiesthatbindusacrossalltheboundariesthatdivideusinournational,political,religiousandethnicpursuits.ItisanoptimisticthemethatalignswellwiththemissionandfullpromiseoftheOlympicMovementtouniteallhumanity.Theslogan’semphasisonthewordtogetherisalsoadirectresponsetotheIOC’srevisedsloganfortheOlympicMovement—Faster,Higher,Stronger,Together.ThereishopeinthesharedvisionoftheOlympicMovementandChinainthisregard.Beijing2022WinterOlympicsaretomakedreamsofwinterathletespossibleXiaoLianbing:DoyouhaveanyexpectationsfortheBeijingWinterOlympicGames?GeorgeHirthler:InfightingoffthethreatsofthepandemicandfulfillingitspromisetotheglobalsportscommunityandtheOlympicMovement,Chinawillprovideagreatservicetoallhumanity.Forthelastfouryears,Beijing’sincredibleeffortstobuilditswintersportsinfrastructureisabouttomakedreamsofyoungwinterathletesallovertheworldpossible.Personally,IlookforwardwithgreatanticipationtofollowingtheGamesonTV,onmylaptopandonmyiphoness.ThevenueslookbeautifulandthewholeplanbetweenBeijingandthemountainslookwonderful.AsanOlympicsportsfan—andanAmerican,ofcourse,IwillbecloselyfollowingMikaelaShiffrin’sattemptstosetanumberofhistoricskiingrecordsinBeijing.Shiffrin,whoisonly26andisalreadyoneofthegreatestskiersinhistory,isplanningtoskiinfivedifferenteventsinBeijing—theslalom,thegiantslalom,thesuper-G,thedownhillandthecombined.Andthat’sastorytheworldwillbefixatedon—andthestorythatwillberememberedfordecadesasoneofthedefiningmomentsofBeijing2022,longafterthediplomaticboycottsareforgotten.Frommyperspective,theentireworldistooengagedinmilitarismandthat’sonereasonwhyIamawholeheartedproponentoftheOlympicMovement.We’reaworlddividedbyourdifferences,national,religious,ethnic,ideological,political,etcetera,butallofthosedivisionscanbetoleratedaslongasweareengagedindialogue.Waristheworstkindofdivision;itistheendofdialogue.Atthisstageinthedevelopmentofhumancivilization,Ibelievetheleadersofeverynationshouldbeabletofindcommongroundfordialogueandavoidthetragedyofconflict.IhopethattheBeijing2022OlympicWinterGamesservethepurposeofdrawingourworldclosertogetherinhumansolidarityandcontributetotheprocessofbuildingabetter,morepeacefulworld.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.