MK sports on June 23, 2024 in Beijing. Photo: Li Hao/GT" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-06-23/aaf303a5-c745-4b98-991a-2981d5a8934e.jpeg" />

Performers practice wushu during a ceremony celebrating the 130th anniversary of the International Olympic Committee on June 23, 2024 in Beijing. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Multiple activities were held on Sunday in Beijing, the Chinese capital and the only city in the world to have hosted both Summer and Winter Olympics, to celebrate Olympic Day ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

The Olympic Manifesto - Beautiful Olympic Culture Scroll, the fourth Olympic culture scroll since the program initiated in 2012, was unveiled at the iconic Beijing Olympic Manifesto Square Forest Park during an event honoring the Olympic spirit.

The scroll's opening sections depict the history of the modern Olympic Movement in France and Europe, and its ancient origins in Greece. The central part showcases the Olympic Declaration Plaza in Beijing, highlighting the diverse cultures and civilizations within the Olympic family. 

"The scroll demonstrates how the Olympic spirit has brought a better world to humanity and contributed to building a beautiful community with a shared future for humankind," said Lou Xiaoqi, head of Civilization magazine, which co-organized the event.  

The scroll is expected to be exhibited in Paris later in 2024, as this year marks the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the International Olympic Committee. 

Hundreds of students, including some from Beijing Language and Culture University, participated in Sunday's event.

"Participating in such an international event makes you aware of cultural differences, but also at the same time realize that we're not that different, like we are all humans. And this type of events promotes diversity," Pedro Estrada Leon, a Mexican student at Beijing Language and Culture University, told the Global Times. 

Leon, a swimming fan who has been inspired by the story of legendary swimmer Michael Phelps, said he hopes international competitions like the Olympic Games could help bridge differences.

"Sports is a really good way of getting to know each other so we can understand that we're not that different. I hope that this type of competition helps everybody become aware of the fact that even though we all come from different places and we have different cultures and experiences at the same time we are all humans," Leon noted.

The Olympic members now consist of 206 countries and regions, with 23 countries and 43 cities having hosted either the Summer or Winter Games. 

"I think the Olympic motto is very important, because you have to know what you're capable of. You only know what you can give once you give everything that you have," French student Besa Mircea Alexandru told the Global Times. 

"This is all about Olympic sports. Every country gives everything they have. They give their best athletes, so they can show the world what they are capable of."

Olympics founding father Pierre de Coubertin's vision of fostering global peace through sports resonates in today's Olympic spirit. Sports, unlike war, brings people together in mutual respect and understanding, fostering a harmonious world.

"The Olympics stand as a powerful symbol of human civilization and driving force in building a global community with a shared future," Lou said. 

"The Olympic spirit transcends international conflicts, embodying the values of civilization and aligning with Coubertin's vision of a better world through the revival of the Olympic Movement." 

The upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games not only signal the return of the games to their modern birthplace after 130 years but also mark a new chapter in the Olympic Movement. 

The modern Olympic Movement, born from the Olympic Manifesto, has developed into the largest sports community in world, with the Olympic Games being the most participatory social and cultural event globally.