2022 Winter Paralympic Games: China's Past and Future - ATR Extra

On March 4, 2022, approximately 600 of the world’s best Paralympic athletes will enter Beijing National Stadium for the opening ceremony of the XIII Paralympic Winter Games.

They will compete in 78 events divided between snow sports and ice sports.

The Paras will honor China’s most ancient traditions while showing the nation is moving decisively into the future. Like the Olympic Games that precede them, the Paras will highlight Beijing’s legacy as the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics.

While the 10 days of competition are meant to celebrate the integration of sports, culture, art and science, preparations have been underway for a long time.

Here’s a look at what to expect … and what visitors will see along the way.

Lighting the Way

Torches are undeniably the one of the premier symbols for every Paralympic Games.

The 2022 scroll design was selected from nearly 200 entries. It is reminiscent of the 2008 Games’ main cauldron.

"The design strikes a perfect balance between the expression of the host nation’s culture, Olympism and the demonstration of the latest industrial technology," said Lu Xiaobo, a member on the judging panel and dean of the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University.

The Para torch is identical to the Olympic torch, other than the color and wording on the lower section.

Both have identical structures, spiraling upward to resemble two overlapping fluttering ribbons that bring light and warmth.

Only the coloration and engraving on the lower section set them apart. Where the Olympic torch has a red ribbon interior, the Paralympic torch has a gold interior. Both have the same silver exterior. This torch also features the first ever Braille engraving, which says "Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games".

Plans for the Torch Relay and selection of torchbearers for the Games are underway.

Pictograms Point the Way

Pictograms – easily understood illustrations of each of the six sports – are the symbols used in every facet of the look of the Games.

They are seen on television, in print, along highways and splashed across buildings. They’re also invaluable guideposts that tell visitors everything from where to enter the venues to subway stops to security.

The 2022 pictograms are inspired by traditional Chinese seal engraving. Each one is created with unique strokes, such as those found on seals from the Qin and Han dynasties (221- 206 BCE). The pictograms embody the motion of winter sports and China’s rich culture in graphics.

"It’s another example of time-honored Chinese art in a modern way and integrates Chinese culture into sports presentation on the Olympic and Paralympic stage," said Gao Tian, deputy director of the Culture and Ceremonies Department of Beijing 2022.

They were revealed at a televised countdown party on New Year’s Eve 2020.

Kid’s Delight

No Olympics is complete without mascots, and this time it is Shuey Rhon Rhon, a lantern child.

With a glowing heart, Shuey Rhon Rhon symbolizes the warmth, friendship, and perseverance of Paralympic athletes.

Shuey is pronounced like the Chinese character for snow. The first Rhon means inclusion and toleration, while the second Rhon means ‘to melt, to fuse’ and ‘warm.’

IPC President Andrew Parsons says Shuey Rhon Rhon will light up the lives of those who watch Paralympic athletes.

Competition Zones

Competition will take place in the three zones of central Beijing, plus the capital’s suburban district of Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou in nearby Hebei province.

There are five venues in Beijing:

• Beijing National Aquatics Center – curling

• Beijing National Indoor Stadium – ice sledge hockey

• Beijing National Stadium – opening and closing ceremonies

• Beijing Paralympic Village

• China National Convention Center – MPC/IBC

In Yanqing Cluster:

• Xiaohaituo Alpine Skiing Field – alpine skiing

• Yanqing MMC: Media Center

• Yanqing Paralympic Village

In Zhangjiakou Cluster:

• Kuyangshu Biathlon Field – cross-country skiing

• Hualindong Ski Resort – biathlon

• Genting Hotel – Media Center

• Taiwu Ski Resort – snowboarding

• Zhangjiakou Paralympic Village

Eco-friendly Games

Beijing 2022 says it is committed to delivering green and sustainable Games by using 100 percent renewable energy in every venue.

That includes everything from the eco-friendly materials used in making the mascots and other souvenirs, to the CO2 refrigerants in the ice-making systems used in the speed skating, figure skating, short track venues, and ice hockey training venues.

Other locations will use refrigerants with a low Global Warming Potential.

Possibilities Are Endless

A new educational program for children entitled I’mPOSSIBLE debuts ahead of the Beijing 2022 Paralympics. It's designed to spread Olympic values and vision, as well as understanding and support for the Games.

"That is a very important part of the legacy of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games. It is the legacy of changing perceptions and changing attitudes, and I’mPOSSIBLE is an important part of that strategy," says IPC President Andrew Parsons.

The program was created with help from the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) global education program and then localized by the Ministry of Education and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation.

I’mPOSSIBLE education materials, along with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Values Education Program (OVEP) toolkit and programs, will be distributed to children ages six to 18 in more than 1,500 schools.

Dates of Games: Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 13, 2022