Games 'to bring world together'

The Beijing Winter Olympics will play a pivotal role in bringing the world together, according to one expert.

China's commitment to hosting the Winter Olympics in a green, sharing and open manner has set a good example for the rest of the world and should be greatly appreciated, as it provides a platform for people from diverse backgrounds to participate, Muhammad Israr Madani, president of the International Research Council for Religious Affairs, an Islamabad-based nongovernmental organization, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

By championing the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together," China has sent a positive message to the world, and the 2022 Games will be a source of joy for people, especially during the pandemic, Madani said.

Athletes from around the world, including Pakistan, are excited and looking forward to participating in the winter sports gala, he added.

"I hope that all athletes will join the Beijing Winter Olympics to witness this huge event and celebrate it, because it will support and assist regional connectivity via sports and cultural activities," he said.

With the vision of involving 300 million people in winter sports, China has created huge opportunities for not just its own people but also entrepreneurs around the world to invest in various industries, including sports, tourism and media, Madani said.

"The Beijing Winter Olympics is a warmly welcomed activity which will create a lot of businesses, not only locally but also globally," he said.

Regarding calls for a boycott of Beijing 2022 from certain Western politicians, Madani said politicizing sports is against the spirit of the Games and doomed to fail.

"The Beijing Winter Olympics is a sports activity, not a political one," he said, adding that some forces are attempting to sabotage the event by distorting facts and leveling groundless allegations against China.

Madani said that he is confident that Beijing 2022 will be staged without a hitch, adding people will move forward and focus on the Olympics," which is a very healthy activity for our next generation".

Xinhua