IOC celebrates China's Spring Festival with art exhibition in Olympic Museum

Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-05 16:50:49|Editor: Yurou

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LAUSANNE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland took on a different look on Monday with Chinese Spring Festival-themed couplets hung on its front gate and red lanterns in its atrium.

The Chinese Red Light-on 2022 exhibition, the first overseas stop of the "Cheer for the Olympics" series of cultural exhibitions, was held at the museum as part of the International Olympic Committee's celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

IOC President Thomas Bach attended the event and extended New Year's greetings to the Chinese people.

"First of all, a happy new year to all the Chinese people. Wish them a prosperous and happy year of the pig. And this year will give us the opportunity to celebrate the Olympic spirit even more together. This is why we opened this year here with this exhibition on Chinese art and culture about the Olympic Games, and about the Olympic values," Bach said in the opening speech of the event.

Monday also marked the three year countdown to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Bach, together with the Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Vice President of Beijing 2022 Yu Zaiqing, jointly lit the red lanterns for Beijing 2022 to illuminate the Olympic rings.

On display were dozens of paintings by Chinese artist Cui Jingzhe and a Chinese ink painting titled 'Olympic Spring' which was co-created by famous Chinese painters He Jialin, Wei Xiaorong, Chen Ping and Wang Ping.

Bach said that the celebration of the Chinese New Year in the form of an exhibition of paintings fully demonstrates the inspiration of Pierre de Coubertin: "The Olympic Movement comprising sport and culture as its two founding pillars."

Yu Zaiqing said that as the preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games continue to advance, more and more Chinese artists hope to participate in Olympic art and cultural activities and promote the Olympic spirit and values through their works.

The event was also attended by Director of Olympic Foundation of Cultural and Heritage Francis Gabet, representatives from the Culture and Ceremonies Department of Beijing 2022 as well as representatives of overseas Chinese in Lausanne.