Baku, January 19, AZERTAC

Participants in a youth dialogue on Tuesday highlighted the significant role young people play in promoting friendship and solidarity in the face of global challenges, adding that the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will provide a good opportunity for young athletes to deepen exchanges, according to chinadaily.com.cn.

Officials, athletes and experts from Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states and Eurasian countries participated, both online and offline, in the China-SCO-Eurasia Youth Leaders Dialogue. It had as its theme, "Together for a Shared Future", which is also the theme of the Beijing Winter Games.

The event was jointly hosted by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO and China Daily.

In an online speech to the event, Vice-Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said that at a time when COVID-19 continues globally, and many significant changes unseen in a century are evolving fast, regional countries have chosen to boost solidarity and cooperation in order to address risks and challenges.

Referring to young people as "the leaders and creators of the future", Le encouraged them to devote themselves to the great cause of national development and regional prosperity and to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to work toward social development.

Zhang Ming, secretary-general of the SCO, said via video link that young people are the future of the SCO region and the driving force behind its development and progress. The organization is fully aware of the importance of youth cooperation and has carried out a large number of youth-oriented programs, Zhang added.

Facing significant changes, he urged young people to be open-minded and inclusive, raise awareness of mutual assistance and cooperation, and make contributions to promoting friendship and unity among people of all countries.

"As an important international organization in the region, the SCO will continue to provide a broader global arena for the growth of and exchanges between young people," Zhang said.

Cui Li, vice-president of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, said there are 800 million young people in SCO member states.

"In recent years, we have actively promoted youth exchanges and cooperation, and helped young people make innovations and start businesses," she said, adding that young people are positive, united and cooperative.

Zhou Shuchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said young people are "the most active and exuberant group in human society".

"They not only bear the hopes of their countries and people, but also shoulder the fate and future of all humanity," Zhou said.

Tuesday's event was held less than three weeks before the start of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, which will bring together athletes from different countries. Zhou said the dialogue was held at a crucial moment for youths from SCO member states and Eurasian countries to rally around the Games' theme of "Together for a Shared Future", learn from each other's cultures, and strengthen people-to-people bonds.

Batir Tursunov, charge d' affaires of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China, said that in an era of rapid development in science and technology, every country attaches great importance to developing young people's talents.

"Young people are expected to find solutions for issues so as to promote social progress and human development," he said.

Alina Alexandrovna Gornosko, a Belarusian athlete, said via video link that all Olympic Games have proved the importance of unity, cooperation and mutual understanding and so the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will as well.

In the face of global challenges it is important to preserve the principles of friendliness, mutual understanding and mutual respect. Olympic athletes have always been role models for the younger generation by displaying these principles during competitions, she said.

Ghanema Bader Al-Darwish, an official with Qatar's Ministry of Sports and Youth, said that despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, sports remain a powerful way to bring joy to people's lives. "It is imperative that we all work together so that the international community realizes the power of sports," she said.

Here are some highlights of the dialogue.

Ordukhan Gahramanzada, secretary-general of the Azerbaijan Student Youth Organizations Union, Azerbaijan

We have been nourishing the Olympic spirit in our country for a while now. Peace, prosperity and continuously striving for development are all Olympic values shared by our youth. An overwhelming majority of our people show particular interest in Olympic sports, particularly those with roots that can be traced to our deep historical values. We take part in Olympic and sporting events not only as contestants, but also as organizers and volunteer creators of positive change. A clear manifestation of this was the successful organization of the Baku European Games in 2015, as well as the Islamic Solidarity Games held in 2017. This year, it is wonderful to see Azerbaijani athletes participating in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. I wish them the best of luck!

Tamar Kvlividze, social media content creator, Georgia

The importance of the Olympic Games as an international event is unparalleled, for the Olympics are the embodiment of human solidarity, peace and the pursuit of limits. In the face of modern problems, such as resource scarcity and environmental destruction, I believe it is even more important to set an example of caring for the planet when hosting the Olympics. Under the three mantras of "reuse", "sustainability" and "Hi-Tech", the Beijing Winter Olympics are not only the biggest event in the sporting community but at the same time, set the example of reflecting modern problems and providing solutions. In hosting the Games, China has sought to save resources, promote economic development and avoid pollution. If we want a better future, I believe this is what we must focus on.

Alina Alexandrovna Gornosko, athlete at Belarusian State Sports University, Belarus

Today, while facing the global challenges of COVID-19, it is important to preserve the values of friendship, mutual understanding, respect and the humanistic principles that form the basis of Olympism and the Olympic Games. We athletes can do a lot in this regard; share our own experiences, emotions, understanding and determination, our ability to be friends and help, and serve as examples of courage and the pursuit of perfection and harmony. I think that Olympians were and remain an example to the younger generation. They are able to motivate children to not only strive for sporting excellence, but also to become models for personal development and spiritual, physical and intellectual health.

Ihor Shevyrov, journalist, observer of Kyiv Diplomatic, Ukraine

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will be the games of openness. As a result of its reforms, Beijing has become a modern metropolis, rapidly developing in terms of advanced innovations and smart technologies in transport, infrastructure and communications, a city where small and medium-sized businesses, the bedrock of urban well-being, are developing intensively. In the process, Beijing has paid attention to the priorities of energy efficiency and energy conservation, as well as environmental protection. The Beijing Olympics will show that China is a hospitable host, and has carefully organized a great sporting festival for the international community.

Nuon Pharat, vice-governor of the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, Cambodia

This 24th Winter Olympic Games held in Beijing is a proud and exciting event for Cambodia as well because it is the first time our Olympic Committee has been invited to join the Winter Games. As a tropical country, our athletes have not participated in previous Winter Games, so we are excited about doing so now. The joy of winter sports, which I personally discovered during my university years studying in cold countries, is that they bring people, and especially the young, adventure, surprise and excitement.