First of all, I would like to thank the International Olympic Academy for this opportunity to address such a talented and young audience. It is indeed a pleasure and honor.

Athens is the home and the birthplace of Modern Olympic Games. The spark that was ignited here in 1896 to bring people together for a celebration through sports has now grown to a universal symbol for peace. Indeed, contributing to world peace through sports has become a major and integral element of Olympism.

Peace requires contact, dialogue, and communication. Throughout Olympic history, there is no one who is keener than IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch to make that happen. In the earlier years of my Olympic career, I had the chance to witness first-hand how hard he worked to bring China and Chinese Taipei to the negotiation table and to realize the coexistence of both parties within the Olympic Movement. His vision and persistence for peace were once again exemplified in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. During the Opening Ceremony, the world was surprised to see North and South Korea, two decades-long enemies, forming a joint team under the flag of the Korean Peninsula. Similar stories abound in Olympic history.

More than 30 years ago, being involved in the inclusion of Chinese Taipei into the IOC, I was impressed by how much sports could achieve for peace.

Thus, I was inspired to contribute whatever I could to this course and made it my life-long mission when I was elected IOC Member in 1988.

The year 2006 saw a major twist in my sport life, as I was elected President of International Boxing Association (AIBA). This enabled me to further my contribution to peace by encouraging teams from hostile countries to enter into a dialogue and co-participate in boxing events.

There are regions in the world where deep-rooted antagonism prevails. Azerbaijan and Armenia is one such case. Upon awarding the city of Baku to host 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, I was immediately faced with serious concerns from the Armenia Boxing Federation. As you may know, for nearly one century, these two countries were in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region and, technically, they are still at war. Despite a major challenge, AIBA managed to obtain Azerbaijan’s guarantee for safety and security on the part of Armenian participants. Throughout the competition period, the presence of the Armenian team on Azerbaijan’s soil was never a problem.

In 2014, AIBA managed to bring two more teams from hostile countries to set foot and compete in each other’s territory.

In 2009, AIBA created the World Series of Boxing (WSB). It is a pro-style five-round competition with teams representing countries. The first season started in 2010. Due to its ban on professional sports, Cuba did not have a team in WSB until Season 4 in 2013. Cuba is known as a great power of boxing and, as expected, its team smoothly fought its way through and finally had to meet the USA team. The political stand-off between USA and Cuba stems from the Cold War era and has been continuing for decades. It was virtually impossible for either team to visit the other’s country. Faced with such difficulties, AIBA started strenuous negotiations with both governments, and the efforts finally paid off. On March 28, 2014, in Miami, the whole world witnessed the historical match between these teams. It testified to the power of sports for peace.

Around the same period, AIBA was also faced with another, more difficult situation, regarding WSB Season 4. On March 18, 2014, Russia annexed Crimea that was originally under the jurisdiction of Ukraine. The confrontation was even more intense than that between USA and Cuba. Russian and Ukrainian WSB teams were scheduled to compete on March 30 and April 4, respectively in Moscow and Donetsk. It seemed that the matches were almost impossible to take place. However, it turned out that the pursuit for sport glory once prevailed over political differences. The moments when both the Ukrainian and the Russian anthems were played in Moscow and Donetsk were unforgettable. At the venues, the great atmosphere would make it hard to believe that the two countries had a major confrontation. The away teams, instead of being ridiculed or threatened, were warmly welcomed and heartily cheered by home audiences.

In less than two months, we will witness again the power of sports to attract people from around the world for a gathering in Rio, leaving behind all their differences.

While peace is an aspiration and a principle of Olympism, education is the vehicle through which Olympic ideals are shared. Among all forms of Olympic education, museums play an integral and indispensable part, in addition to national academies and IOA.

The Olympic Games serve as the perfect occasion for promoting the Olympic principles of peace, love, equality, respect, among many others. However, the Games’ duration is limited, and the public is thus not sufficiently exposed to Olympic values and ideals. In this context, Olympic museums can play a linking role between each edition of Olympic Games, by offering public access to Olympic history and heritage.

Their collections tell touching and amazing stories. People who do not personally go to the Games are able to experience the emotions and charms taking place during the competitions. With this in mind, to establish Olympic museums became part of my Olympic aspirations many years ago.

This little thought came into fruition and was realized in 2008. My first museum, Xiamen Olympic Museum, officially opened to the public on that year in the city of Xiamen, southeastern China. This city is located right across the Taiwan Straits from Taiwan. Historically and culturally, it shares a similar origin with Taiwan. An Olympic museum here nurtures cross-strait sport and cultural exchanges. With over 11,000 items from my personal collection, the museum’s rich exhibitions have served the purpose of promoting Olympism to the fullest extent in this part of China.

In geographical terms, China covers a vast area. An Olympic museum in the southeastern region does not suffice to propagate the Olympic Movement in other parts of the country. As such, in September 2009, I founded the second Olympic Museum in the northern city of Tianjin in China.

Tianjin is the origin of modern Olympism and sports in China. The settlement of an Olympic museum here carries a special and significant meaning, and serves as a supplement for Olympic education to Xiamen Olympic Museum in the south. It has approximately 2,000 permanent collective items. Along wit exhibitions exchanged from other museums, Tianjin Dagon Olympic Museum has successfully become an effective base of spreading Olympism. Despite creating the second museum, my aspiration to build Olympic museums continues.

Before passing away, our respected IOC President Samaranch entrusted me with his personal collections of more than 15,000 items. China is very grateful to President Samaranch for his support and friendship. He is regarded as a close friend of Chinese people. When it became known that President Samaranch’s collections were in my possession, several cities in China approached me proposing the creation of a museum to exhibit these items. Due to its status as the birthplace of Modern Olympism in China and President Samaranch’s importance to the Olympic Movement, Tianjin promised its full support. In commemorating President Samaranch, Samaranch Memorial celebrated its grand opening on the third anniversary of his passing away on 21 April 2013, with the presence of IOC President Dr Jacque Rogge, dozens of IOC members, and high ranking officials from Chinese central and local governments. In the past three years, millions of visitors of all ages from all parts of China paid visits to the Memorial and had the opportunity to observe the life of this great Olympic leader, and learn the true meaning and values of sports.

My fourth Olympic museum was dedicated to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Prior to the start of the Games, I was joined by IOC President Thomas Bach and IOC Honorary President Dr Jacque Rogge to preside over the opening of Nanjing Olympic Museum. Located in central China, the museum has received tens of thousands of young visitors and instilled among them the understanding and knowledge of the Olympic ideals.

Four museums within six years was not an easy task. It was made possible with the help, dedication, and contribution of those who share our faith in Olympism. I embarked on my Olympic journey more than 30 years ago. Along the way, I have seen the many young people, like you, actively engaging and participating. They have given a fresh impetus and energy to the course. In the years ahead, I look forward to seeing more people devoting themselves to this project and to working with them for the advancement of Olympism and realizing true world peace through sports. Thank you.

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WU Ching-Kuo, "Olympism as an effective tool for development and sustainability",in:K. Georgiadis (ed.), Olympic values-based learning as an effective tool forenvironmental protection, 56th International Session for Young Participants (Ancient Olympia,11-25/6/2016),International Olympic Academy, Athens, 2017, pp.53-57.

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