The Ambassador of Greece to China Evgenios Kalpyris gives a speech at the inauguration ceremony at Beijing Olympic Museum on June 13, 2025. Photo: Dong Feng/GT
The Embassy of Greece in China and the Beijing Olympic City Development Association jointly inaugurated the Greek photo exhibition “Civilization Dialogue: Eternal Olympic Flame – From Ancient to Modern Olympic Games” at the Beijing Olympic Museum on Friday, showcasing the rich legacy of the Olympic Games throughout history. Greek Ambassador to China Evgenios Kalpyris told the Global Times that he is confident the Olympic museums in China and Greece can enhance cooperation and promote the Olympic spirit together.
The exhibition traces more than 2,800 years of Olympic heritage, from their origins in 776 BC to the revival of the modern Games in 1896 and the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Featuring 15 banners with rare historical photographs and archaeological artifacts, the display highlights key moments in the evolution of Olympism.
Ambassador Kalpyris noted in his speech that “The exhibition offers a rich presentation of significant moments in Olympic history and is a powerful reminder of the shared Olympic traditions that unite Greece and China.”
Hou Ming, director of the Beijing Olympic Museum, said that the exhibition “strengthens and deepens our traditional friendship with passion, demonstrating how the Olympic Spirit once again unites us.”
From an archaeological perspective, Greek scholar Dr. Alexander Westra, researcher at Henan University in Kaifeng, Central China’s Henan Province, explained that after a 1,500-year hiatus, the Olympic Games were revived through the efforts of Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894.
“The core values of the ancient Olympic Games have endured and been modernized. The ideals of virtue, excellence, and self-improvement remain central. Today, most athletes compete with the spirit of fair play, pushing themselves to the limits of their abilities,” Westra said.
“For me, China’s engagement with Greek civilization is an important development, as many universities and students in China are now studying Greek civilization,” the archaeologist said.
Ambassador Kalpyris also said the exhibition serves as a space for China and Greece to jointly celebrate the Olympic spirit.
“We [China and Greece] are both members of a club. It is an elite club, but at the same time, this club is open to everybody. This club, which is open to all countries and all people around the world, has certain principles which are cherished by humankind. And the principles are brotherhood, friendship, love, fairness and noble competition,” said the ambassador.
He also mentioned that both Greece and China have been supportive to the Olympics truce. Both countries have been suggesting the concept to the UN to have the Olympic truce during the Olympic Games.
“Of course, our common wish is that wars will stop all over the world not only during the duration of the games,” the ambassador added.
Following a brief tour of the Beijing Olympic Museum, the ambassador praised both the infrastructure and service, saying the modern building adjacent to the Olympic Stadium has become one of his favorite places in Beijing.
“I’m sure that the museum here can be an inspiration for museum goers to think and become also a part of the Olympic movement, and one of my wishes is to enhance the cooperation between the Beijing Olympic Museum and the Olympic Museum in Greece,” he said.
The exhibition lasts till July 13.
