Interview: UNGA president says Beijing Winter Olympics vital to global unity, post-pandemic recovery

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Winter Olympics will play a critical role in promoting global solidarity and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), told Xinhua on Thursday.

"The Games will help showcase human resilience, unity and pursuit of happiness in the face of uncertainties triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic," the UNGA president said in an email interview.

At the invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Shahid has arrived in Beijing to attend the opening ceremony and related activities of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games slated on Friday evening local time.

Shahid said that sports can be "a platform for dialogue and diplomacy, for reconciliation and renewal, for cooperation and collaboration."

Sports bring people together regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, geography, religion or politics, he said.

Sporting events such as the Olympics are of great importance, Shahid said, adding that they are capable of inspiring generations and building bridges across continents.

The UNGA president appealed to the international community to "set aside our differences and collectively strive towards a common goal."

"Let's embody the values of Olympism and demonstrate to the world that sport is a powerful tool for harmony. This is why the IOC amended the Olympic motto to: Faster, Higher, Stronger -- Together," he noted, adding that the word "together" tells us that we need more solidarity within societies and among societies, because there is no peace without solidarity.

Shahid said he was impressed by the preparations that have been made for the world sports event, commending Beijing's commitment to its mission of hosting "green, inclusive, open and clean" Olympic Winter Games.

The "Ice Ribbon" is one of the first venues in the world to use carbon dioxide transcritical direct cooling technology for ice-making, resulting in almost zero carbon emissions, he noted.

Shahid also praised China's Global Development Initiative (GDI). "Essentially, GDI seeks to foster global development partnerships that are more equal and balanced, forge greater synergy among multilateral development cooperation processes, and speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

"It is important for the international community to revitalize the global economy and pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development," he said.

As his visit to China coincides with the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year, he wished the Chinese people lots of good health, happiness and prosperity in the Year of the Tiger. ■