On the evening of October 26, “The Olympic Spirit: From the Ancient to the Modern Olympic Games” Photography Exhibition was inaugurated at the Chengdu City Sports Exhibition Center in the Guixi Ecological Park. The exhibition was jointly hosted by the Embassy of Greece in China, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, and the Chengdu Municipal Sports Bureau, and organized by the Chengdu Sports Industry Chamber of Commerce. Ambassador of Greece to China Dr. Evgenios Kalpyris and his wife Xu Li, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality Li Ming, Secretary of the CPC Committee for Offices of the Chengdu Municipal Sports Bureau Yang Shenwei, Head of the Public Diplomacy Office of the Embassy of Greece in China Ioanna Kakalidi, Secretary General of the Sichuan Athletics Association Zhou Gaode, and others attended the opening ceremony.

 

 

The event began with a guided tour of the City Sports Exhibition Center, where the attendees revisited Chengdu’s journey and vision in developing a world-famous city of sports events.

 

The tour was followed by a drama performance, The Spark, by students from Tianfu No. 7 High School, which vividly illustrated the theme of cultural inheritance. This acclaimed work, previously staged at the Ancient Theater of Messene in Greece, draws inspiration from the myth of Prometheus bringing fire to humanity. It innovatively blends the elements of Sichuan Opera, puppetry, and ancient Greek dramas into an excellent performance that seamlessly integrates the symbol of sparks as the origin of civilizations with the Olympic spirit. The students’ performance created a unique cultural atmosphere for the inauguration of the exhibition.

 

 

During the speeches, Dr. Evgenios Kalpyris, Ambassador of Greece to China, shared insights into Greek sportsmanship and remarked, “This exhibition presents numerous milestones in Olympic history. It powerfully demonstrates the Olympic traditions that now connect Greece with China and profoundly affirms our commitment to the goal of Olympism and the Olympic spirit. I am honored to witness this exhibition being held at this remarkable venue in the exceptional city of Chengdu.”

 

In the subsequent address, Li Ming, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, noted, “Chengdu’s sporting ethos has been deeply woven into the fabric of the city throughout history. In modern times, the city has continued to thrive as the host city of numerous major sports events. Today, Chengdu boasts an increasingly vibrant sports culture and a flourishing sports economy. The philosophy that ‘sports bring better life’ has become a shared belief among Chengdu residents. Chengdu’s vision to develop into a ‘world-famous city of sports events’ is now highly compatible with the Olympic spirit and values that advocate excellence, friendship, and solidarity.”

 

Following the speeches, Ambassador Dr.  Evgenios Kalpyris, Deputy Director General Li Ming, and Secretary Yang Shenwei jointly inaugurated this sports epic that bridges history and modernity with a ribbon-cutting ceremony amidst the witness of all attendees.

 

The exhibition chronicles the evolution of the Olympic Games through numerous rare historical photographsexhibited on 15 carefully designed display panels, tracing the history of the Olympic Games from their birth in 776 BC, through their revival in 1896, to the Olympic Games Paris 2024. It guides viewers through a cultural voyage of Olympics across time and space.

 

 

This friendship forged by the Olympics has closely connected Chengdu with its international friendly cooperative city—Athens, Greece. The opening ceremony welcomed special guests: students from Tianfu No. 7 High School, who had concluded their summer exchange in Athens, and Chengdu runners, who are preparing for the upcoming Athens Marathon: The Authentic. Ambassador Dr. Evgenios Kalpyris engaged warmly with the students and the runners in a joyful atmosphere.

 

During his stay in Chengdu, Ambassador Dr. Evgenios Kalpyris joined Xu Xingguo, Deputy Mayor of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, to attend the race starting ceremony of the 2025 Chengdu Marathon and visit the Chengdu Museum and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He stated in an interview that Chengdu and Greece share many similarities, including profound cultural heritage and people who cherish life. He emphasized that the marathon, as an extension of the Olympic spirit, offers people an opportunity to explore their inner selves and enrich their lives through sports and interpersonal interactions, which has been perfectly illustrated by the 2025 Chengdu Marathon. He anticipated a future where Chengdu and Greece will explore more cooperation opportunities in cultural relics and museums, sports exchanges, and other areas.

 

 

Initially debuting at the 2025 Chengdu Marathon Expo, the photography exhibition has officially opened to the public free of charge at the Chengdu City Sports Exhibition Center since October 26 and will run through December 26.

 

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin

Source: Chengdu Discovery