Building the Shared Future of Humanity Through Sports: Towards the 2022 Winter Olympics
ARDA TUNÇEL* Organizing Committee Secretary of the Forum
THE 2022 WINTER OLYMPICS WILL BE HELD verage of some of the protests in Western media
in Beijing from February 4-20. The Olympics, outlets make it necessary to revisit the Olympics
which is generally considered one of the “fairest” and its misuses in international politics. Within
sports platforms in the world, and where every this framework, the “Building the Shared Fu-
country can send its athletes under equal condi- ture of Humanity Through Sports: Towards
tions, continues in all its glory even under pande- the 2022 Winter Olympics” forum was held on
mic conditions. The contest keeps our hopes alive 20 November 2021 at Istinye University Valley
for a more equal, just and peaceful world. Howe- Campus and via Zoom, under the leadership of
ver, hegemonic approaches, led by the USA, to the Turkish Student Union in China, Belt and
regulate developing countries via a “human righ- Road Initiative Quarterly (BRIQ), and The Istin-
ts” policy, endager the egalitarian nature of the ye University Center for Belt and Road Studies.
Olympics, which values all nations equally. The The forum served as an open platform for debate
United States considering the possibility of boy- around the questions below:
cotting the Beijing Winter Olympics points to the • What methods do Western states use to in-
seriousness of this threat. Although there is no tervene in developing countries through the
final boycott decision as yet, the widespread co- Olympics?
* Arda Tunçel was born in 1995 in Ankara. In 2019, he graduated from Department of International Relations at Ihsan Dogramaci Bilkent University. During his BA, he carried out a research project on ‘One Belt One Road’ and wrote a research paper. He worked as a Student Brand Manager at Red Bull Turkey company in 2017-2019. In September 2019, he began his MA on international trade at Shanghai University. He is currently working on the effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on the relationship between Turkey and China. He is currently a board member of the “Association of Turkish Student in China”. Email: ardatuncel.ch@yandex.com
How to cite: Tunçel, A. (2021/2022). Final report of building the shared future of humanity through 83
sports: Towards the 2022 winter olympics forum. Belt & Road Initiative Quarterly, 3(1), 83-85.
• How can we save the Olympics, which is the overshadow the role of the Olympics in building
people’s sports holiday, from the interventi- the shared future of humanity together is detri-
on of Western states? mental, and that Turkey is also carrying out its
• How can we ensure that the Olympics fulfil- Olympic preparations in accordance with this
ls its promise as the symbol of nations com- mission. Speaking on behalf of the organizing
peting in sports on equal terms, peacefully committee, Adnan Akfırat stated that US Pre-
and for cohesion? sident Biden’s “diplomatic boycott” statement
• What are the roles played by the Olympics is not only displaying an arrogance towards the
in building the shared future of humanity? host country, but also against all humanity and
The opening speakers of the forum were Ad- therefore should be condemned.
nan Akfırat (President of the China Business Adnan Akfırat conveyed the mission state-
Development Friendship Association and Cha- ments of the Beijing Winter Olympics:
irman of the BRIQ), Suat Çelen (President of the • Let’s instill the Olympic spirit in the youth
Turkish Gymnastics Federation), Erdem Doğan, of the world!
Sports Director of the Turkish National Olym- • Let’s encourage millions to embrace winter
pic Committee, and Liu Shaobin (Ambassador sports!
of the People’s Republic of China to Ankara). • Let’s promote social progress through the
In the opening speeches of the forum, the winter games!
speakers emphasized that the Beijing Winter • Let’s create a world of harmony for all hu-
Olympics will be a shining example of the ri- manity by developing mutual understan-
sing Asian Civilization, that any behavior to ding!
The opening speeches were followed by the first the Department of International Relations at İstinye
session of the forum, entitled “The Role of Sport University. The contributors included Assoc. Prof.
in Creating the Shared Future of Humanity”. This Fahri Erenel (Director of the Istinye University So-
session was moderated by the President of the Repub- cial Sciences Institute), Assoc. Prof. Umut Başoğlu
lican Woman’s Association and former Vice Rector of (President of General Gymnastics Movement Trai-
Gazi University, Professor Tülin Oygür. The contribu- ning Technical Committee) and Deputy Chairman of
tors included Cevad Prekazi (Albanian origin –for- Turkish Orienteering Federation), and Hüseyin Cem
mer Yugoslavian football player), Sümeyye Boyacı Zeren (Columnist and risk expert).
(National Paralympic swimmer), Hakan Reçber (Na- While Umut Başoğlu explained his views on how
tional taekwondo athlete), and Ljubodrag Simonović the deficiencies in physical literacy lead our society
(philosopher, writer and retired Yugoslavian basket- towards obesity and harmful habits, Fahri Erenel and
ball player). Hüseyin Cem Zeren shared their view that the US
accuses China of human rights violations, regardless
The speakers stated that peace and of its own actions, because the US has fallen behind
sports are part of the innate human in economic terms and has lost its claim to dominate
the world. In addition to these opinions, the speakers rights and that the US is preventing stated that peace and sports are part of the innate
this with its current attitude. human rights and that the US is preventing this with
its current attitude. In parallel with this, Fahri Erenel The speakers expressed their views regarding the emphasized that the word ‘boycott’ is the most danimpact of sports on life and personal development, gerous word for the Olympics as well as for humanity. the significance of state planning and social policies He went on to call for the world’s citizens to reject for the development of sports, the role of sports in such harmful attitudes. In the closing of the session, cultural interactions, and the contribution of sports Suat Eren Özyiğit thanked the speakers and asked to world peace. The statements expressed by the spe- Professor Osman Ünver to deliver the closing speech. akers, including world-famous and medal-winning, In his speech, Professor Osman Ünver, stated that, about the impact of the Olympics on social and indiif the essence of the Olympics can be preserved, there vidual progress, once again revealed the importance is still an important opportunity for world peace and of this forum. In the closing speech of the first sesthat all humanity should take a stand against discussion, the moderator, Professor Tülin Oygür, underli-
ned that the Olympics are an important step towards sing a boycott in order to establish the common future
building the shared future of humanity together, and of humanity through the medium of sport. On behalf
emphasized the importance of sports in the fight aga- of the organizing committee, which consists of Arda
inst drugs, which is one of the biggest threats to the Tunçel (Member of the Board of the Turkish Student
future of humanity. At this point, Tülin Oygür called Union in China), Anıl Solmaz (Shanghai representa-
for support and cooperation with the Mothers Mo- tive of the Turkish Student Union in China, Adnan
vement, which was initiated by the Republican Wo- Akfırat (Chairman of the Board of BRIQ journal),
men’s Association, against drugs. Assoc. Prof. Efe Can Gürcan (Director of the Istinye
The second session of the forum, “Western Poli- University Center for Belt and Road Studies), Semih
tics of Human Rights and Olympics” was modera- Nişancı (Sports Journalist); Anıl Solmaz expressed
ted by Assistant Professor Suat Eren Özyiğit, head of his thanks to the speakers and participants.