It is with great pleasure that I stand before you today, to talk about an issue that is close to my heart, an issue that I believe is critical to the evolution of the Olympic Movement, and to Cities Diplomacy in general. It gives me special joy that this important meeting takes place in Beijing.
Each and every time I visit Beijing, this beautiful and historic city, and I have made the trip from Athens to the capital of China, very often throughout the last 15 years, I remember the foundation of the strong bonds built between our cities, distant in geographic terms, yet brought together by the power of history, culture, collaboration and friendship.

A world scientific Olympiad, dedicated to the science of medicine will be organized in China by the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists (IASGO) with collaboration of the Chinese Society of Surgery and the Chinese Medical Association. For the fist time, medical practitioners and professors will gather together --echoing the “One World–One Dream” spirit of the Beijing 2008 Games-- in order to present papers in their relevant disciplines and compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

The revival of the modern Olympic Games in 19th Century Greece and the nature, content and dynamics underpinning the advancement of Olympic Education in numerous countries were presented by two Greek participants at the acclaimed Beijing Forum held recently at Peking University (November 7-9). Approved by China’s State Council and under the auspices of the Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Forum ---initiated in 2004--- is an international forum co-sponsored, amongst others, by Peking University.

Culture Minister of Greece Mihalis Liapis concluded last Sunday August 10 an official visit to Beijing in the context of the Year of Greece in China and the opening of the 29th Olympiad.
In the evening of Saturday, August 9, at the Grand National Theater in Beijing, Mr. Liapis attended the performance “Medea” staged by Greece’s acclaimed director Dimitris Papaioannou who had directed the opening ceremony of the Athens Games in 2004.