IOC chief commends Nantong native for advancing Olympic spirit

IOC President Thomas Bach (3rd from L) shows off his inscription. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach met with Wu Aihua, director of the "Cheer for the Olympics" program, in Beijing on Feb 19.

The meeting focused on the contributions of the program in spreading Olympic culture and preparation for the "Meet Milan" project during the 2026 Milano-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

Wu hails from Nantong, known as the "hometown of sports" and the "cradle of world champions". Since 2017, authorized by the IOC and supported by the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee, Jiangsu Kaixuan Sports Culture has operated sports culture projects centered around the "Cheer for the Olympics" exhibitions, with Wu as the overall director.

President Bach highly praised the program's long-standing efforts in promoting Olympic culture and spirit. Since its establishment, the project has organized a series of exciting activities, including Olympic-themed art sketching events where artists have captured the athletes' moments of dedication and the unique charm and cultural atmosphere of Olympic cities and venues.

Wu said the program would continue to collaborate with Chinese artists, using art as a bridge to promote the Olympic spirit and Chinese traditional culture globally, adding unique charm and exciting moments to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

At the end of the meeting, President Bach wrote the program name and the Olympic motto "Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together" in English for the "Cheer for the Olympics" program.