INTERNATIONAL: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has called for solidarity beyond all political disputes for a successful Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in his New Year message published on the IOC official website on New Year’s Day.

The IOC chief has highlighted Beijing as the first city ever to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games and has acknowledged China's efforts to engage 300 million people in winter sports.

Bach has said the international community is giving evident and overwhelming support to the upcoming Games, pointing out that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Olympic Truce Resolution for Beijing 2022 by consensus of all 193 UN member states in early December.

"The United Nations General Assembly approved the Olympic Truce Resolution by consensus of all 193 UN member states. This Olympic Truce Resolution is another demonstration that we can only accomplish our mission to unite the world if everybody respects that the Olympic Games must be beyond all political disputes. In this way, the Olympic Winter Games 2022 can set another great exemplar for a peaceful competition," he said.

In 2022, Bach believes, sports will play an important role in building a world in the post-epidemic era, and people will also usher in a new opportunity to practice the new Olympic motto "faster, higher, stronger - together".

In the IOC's latest official magazine Olympic Review issued in December, Bach expects China will deliver an outstanding Olympic Winter Games. "Beijing is about to write history as the first ever city to host both a summer and winter edition of the Olympic Games," he said.

With the coronavirus pandemic still at large and at a time when the world feels more divided than ever, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be an important moment to bring the world together in the spirit of peace, friendship and solidarity, Bach said in the foreword of the magazine.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games is scheduled for Febeuary 4 to February 20 at three competition zones -- downtown Beijing, the capital city's suburban district of Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou City of neighboring Hebei Province, followed by the Winter Paralympics from March 4 to 13.

^{PHOTO: Switzerland-Winter Olympics/Solidarity}