Beijing 2022 celebrates 100 days to Paralympic Winter Games

The Paralympic Winter Games 100 Days to Go celebration was staged at the stunning National Aquatics Centre on 24November. Cai Qi, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and President of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022), attended the event.

Qi expressed gratitude in his speech to everyone for their continued support for the preparations of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

“With the strong support of the Chinese government, we have fully implemented a green, inclusive, open and clean approach to hosting the Games and adhered to the simultaneous preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Qi.

Beijing 2022 has integrated the preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, cooperated cordially with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to press ahead with various preparatory tasks in an orderly manner, and made positive progress.

At present, preparations for the Paralympic Winter Games have all been completed. Beijing 2022 has seized the opportunity to prepare for the Paralympic Winter Games and adopted a series of effective measures to greatly promote the development of the cause of persons with disabilities, raise social awareness of this group and fully protect their rights and interests, promoting the construction of an inclusive society with a happier and better life for all.

Andrew Parsons, President of International Paralympic Committee, in a video message said: “The venues are ready. They are beautiful and all the plans are in place. Everyone is ready in the Organising Committee and the Chinese authorities are ready to deliver what will be a fantastic Games.”

“The Games will reflect on how Paralympic winter sport is developing at global level and I have no doubt that China play a very important role in it. We want to have more and more Chinese persons with disability involved in winter sport. Chinese is already  a powerhouse in the Summer Games and we are absolutely sure this is going to be the same for the Winter Paralympics sports” he added.

After rigorous interviews and training, 19 candidates who represent the greater community of persons with disabilities stood out for their professional abilities and dedication and were selected as volunteers for the Games. The volunteers aged between 19 and 63 will be assigned to 18 competition and non-competition venues for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games to carry out their volunteer duties.

During the event, Zhang Haidi, President of the China Disabled Persons' Federation and Executive President of Beijing 2022, presented flags to five of the volunteers, expecting them to embody the noble spirit of equality, integration and inclusiveness through warm and thoughtful volunteer service.

Zhang Jiandong, Vice Mayor of Beijing and Executive Vice President of Beijing 2022, announced the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games Torch Relay plan at the countdown event. The torch relay will be held in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones from 2-4 March, 2022.

A total of 600 torchbearers will participate in the two major activities, including flame lighting and gathering, as well as torch relay. With the theme ‘Joyful rendezvous upon pure ice and snow and Together for a shared future’ and the slogan ‘Health, Joy and Energy’, the torch relay conveys that, under the global pandemic situation, persons with disabilities around the world are encouraged to cherish their lives and health and to fight the pandemic together.

During the event, the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Handbook of Services for People with Disabilities and the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Service Manual for Athletes and Team Officials (Braille and Large Print) were released, and gold and silver commemorative coins for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games were unveiled.

Zhang Xiran, a vision impaired girl, participated in the program of artwork creation on the theme of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games from teenagers with disabilities. She presented her paintings ‘Torch’ to Yue Qingshuang, the coach of the national wheelchair curling team who led the team to win gold at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. Zhang said that although she can't see the torch, she wants to ignite the passion of every winter Paralympian with the torch in her heart.

Five ‘Winter Games Daily Supporters’ also expressed their enthusiasm for the Paralympic Winter Games. Music reflecting the themes of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, such as ‘Flying Light’, ‘Light Up Your Dream’, ‘Salute to the Heroes’ and ‘In the Beauty of Snow and Ice’, were also performed at the event.

Gou Zhongwen, Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Executive President of Beijing 2022; Chen Jining, Mayor of Beijing and Executive President of Beijing 2022; Wang Zhengpu, Acting Governor of Hebei Provinceand Zhang Xu, China’s Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism, also attended the event.