Beijing Olympics

New Zealand is reviving the ANZAC alliance – joining AUKUS is a logical next step

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

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In envisioning a more central role for the ANZAC alliance with Australia, and possible involvement in the AUKUS security pact, it is recalibrating New Zealand’s independent foreign policy.

Key Points:

In envisioning a more central role for the ANZAC alliance with Australia, and possible involvement in the AUKUS security pact, it is recalibrating New Zealand’s independent foreign policy.
At the inaugural Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial (ANZMIN) meeting in Melbourne earlier this year, the focus was on future-proofing the trans-Tasman alliance.
But the stage for this shift in New Zealand’s independent foreign policy had already been set by the Labour government in 2023.

In or out of AUKUS?

It flourished in a historically rare era of muted great power rivalry and unprecedented economic globalisation.
These historic positions, recently put forward by former National leader Don Brash and former prime minister Helen Clark, have run their course.
Read more:
The defence dilemma facing NZ's next government: stay independent or join 'pillar 2' of AUKUS?

Labour on the fence

New Zealand’s participation will invariably strengthen the ANZAC alliance.
This is something the Labour opposition will need to consider carefully.
Having asked for a national foreign policy conversation while in government, it is now signalling disquiet over AUKUS membership.

The future of independent foreign policy

Before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, China enjoyed a generally positive relationship with a range of countries across Asia and the Pacific.
If New Zealand’s elected government determines that AUKUS is in the national interest, then it must seek the broadest consensus possible domestically.
We are entering a new era for New Zealand’s independent foreign policy, one that includes a rebooted ANZAC alliance, with a possible AUKUS dimension.

Nicholas Khoo has received research funding from the Australian National University, Columbia University, and the Asia New Zealand Foundation in Wellington. He is a Non-Resident Principal Research Fellow with the Institute of Indo-Pacific Affairs in Christchurch.

Ping-pong diplomacy: Australian table tennis players return to China, five decades after historic tour

Retrieved on:

Friday, October 27, 2023

Only weeks after the team’s headline-making tour, Australia’s then opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, led a delegation to Beijing promising to open diplomatic relations “when elected”.

Key Points:

Only weeks after the team’s headline-making tour, Australia’s then opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, led a delegation to Beijing promising to open diplomatic relations “when elected”.
One was table tennis, one was basketball and one was volleyball.
One was table tennis, one was basketball and one was volleyball.

‘A crowd of 8,000 people’

A revolutionary who became one of China’s most revered statesmen, he advocated peaceful co-existence with the West and other nations.
The American team embarked on their tour first – setting the stage for then-President Richard Nixon’s famous visit to Beijing in 1972.
Paul Pinkewich had just turned 20 at the time of the visit, teammate Steve Knapp was only 18.
Our first match in Canton, now Guangzhou, I think it was a crowd of 8,000 people,” he recalls.
“Do you wear this hair because of your disagreement with society or because it is a style?” Knapp replied, “It is the fashion.”

“Can you believe, one table in the middle of the Capital Stadium [in Beijing] with 18,000 spectators, and that was just an amazing experience.
But they always let the woman win.” That woman was Anne Middleton, the other player on the 1971 tour, who has since passed away.
After the trip we were labelled as communists […] but we were interested in friendship first, competition second.”

Why sport diplomacy matters

Beijing has continued to use sport as a diplomatic tool, including becoming the first city in the world to host both a summer and winter Olympic Games (Beijing in 2008 and 2022).
French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894, believing Olympics were a global event.
A new term has also emerged in recent years – almost always applied by researchers in democratic nations – to describe undemocratic nations’ forays into global sport: sportswashing.
“Amity between people holds the key to sound relations between countries.” At the heart of such amity, sport continues to play a significant role.

Tracey Holmes was one of the fifty Australians interviewed in the 'Fifty People, Fifty Stories' book due to her experiences of previously living and working in China.

One year to go: Will the Paris 2024 Olympics see a return to normalcy?

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant changes and schedule disruptions.

Key Points:

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant changes and schedule disruptions.
But there is hope for a return to a more traditional and enjoyable Games with the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Athletes and sports

Since pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, competing at the Olympics and living in the Athlete’s Village will be a much better experience for athletes, who will be able to freely mix and mingle again.
There will be 32 sports and 329 events at the Paris Games.
In the continuing push for gender equity, there will be equal numbers of male and female athletes for the first time.

Russian and Belarusian athletes

Athletes from both countries have been effectively banned from international competition in the aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly recommended banning athletes from both countries from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, with the International Paralympic Committee following suit days later.
The International Olympic Committee has attempted to strike a balance between continued support for Ukrainian athletes without “punishing athletes for the acts of their governments,” as IOC President Thomas Bach stated.

Olympic culture

As the host city, Paris will be buzzing with excitement, offering a variety of Olympic activities.
These include special fan zones, free viewings of the Olympic Torch Relay and opening ceremonies, access to hospitality houses and opportunities to visit sponsor sites like Samsung, Visa and Pride House.

Record-breaking media coverage

While the Tokyo and Beijing Games still had extensive media coverage, the upcoming Paris Games are expected to have the most coverage out of any Olympics.
By May, Paris organizers had sold 6.8 million tickets — about 70 per cent of the total inventory.
The return of corporate sponsorships will also include extensive corporate hospitality and packages from major sponsors, including Visa, Coke, Samsung and others.

Security at the Games

Recent events have raised the question of whether this propensity will play out during the Paris 2024 Games.
Whether or not they are to be expected, a heavy anti-terrorism security presence can be expected, as has become the norm in recent decades at mega sport events.

One year to go

The 2024 Paris Olympics should see a return to normalcy compared to the last two games.
The legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French founder of the modern Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement should continue unabated.

Culture Partners Celebrates Senior Partner Ryan Millar for His Induction Into USA Volleyball Hall of Fame

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

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TEMECULA, Calif., May 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Culture Partners, the leading culture management consulting firm, is proud to acknowledge and celebrate its senior partner – Ryan Millar – for being inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame. Before joining Culture Partners in 2012, Millar was a three-time Olympian representing the USA in 2000 at Sydney, 2004 at Athens, and 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, where he and the USA team won a gold medal.

Key Points:

— Millar, Who Won 2008 Gold Medal with USA Team in Beijing, is Inducted as Part of Select 2023 Cohort —
TEMECULA, Calif., May 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Culture Partners , the leading culture management consulting firm, is proud to acknowledge and celebrate its senior partner – Ryan Millar – for being inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Before joining Culture Partners in 2012, Millar was a three-time Olympian representing the USA in 2000 at Sydney, 2004 at Athens, and 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, where he and the USA team won a gold medal.
Culture Partners Senior Partner Ryan Millar is being inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame.
"Ryan has been an instrumental key player for the USA team as much as he has been to the Culture Partners team," said Joe Terry, CEO, Culture Partners.

Getty Images: 2022 Year in Review

Retrieved on:

Monday, November 21, 2022

Beijing Olympics, History, Climate change, Trust, Archive, Entertainment, Creativity, Getty Images, NYSE, Getty, Beijing Olympic Green Circuit, Paralympic Games, Sport, News

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Getty Images (NYSE: GETY), a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, today unveiled its 2022 Year in Review, a visual reflection of 2022’s most powerful and impactful stories across News, Sports, Entertainment and Archive through both imagery and videos.

Key Points:

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Getty Images (NYSE: GETY), a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, today unveiled its 2022 Year in Review , a visual reflection of 2022s most powerful and impactful stories across News, Sports, Entertainment and Archive through both imagery and videos.
Getty Images Global Head of Content Ken Mainardis said: In 2022, visual storytelling once again helped define the most critical issues and human achievements of our time, elevating the story of what is going to be viewed as a pivotal year in recent history.
Our 2022 Year In Review is a testament to the incredible breadth, depth and outstanding craft of our News, Sport, Entertainment and Archival visuals and the global content creators who bring them to the world.
For more information and to view Getty Images 2022 Year in Review, visit our site here: https://creativeinsights.gettyimages.com/en/trends/year-in-review/2022
Additionally, all visuals in the curation are searchable by using the keyword, GettyYearInReview, on gettyimages.com .

AMTD Group to Add International Fashion Brand VIVIENNE TAM to Its Portfolio After Acquisition of L’Officiel Inc SAS

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

The Assets Acquisition is expected to facilitate a synergetic integration of VIVIENNE TAM with AMTD Groups global network of key ecosystem players and intellectual properties including LOfficiel.

Key Points:

The Assets Acquisition is expected to facilitate a synergetic integration of VIVIENNE TAM with AMTD Groups global network of key ecosystem players and intellectual properties including LOfficiel.
This moment truly reinforces AMTD Groups ambition of developing an innovative vision for lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, and VIP services on a combined basis.
The brand presented its exploration of metaverse and NFT in the most recent collection shown at New York Fashion Week.
Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the filings of AMTD IDEA Group and/or AMTD Digital with the SEC.

WHP Global & Lotto Sport Announce Soccer Commentator Stu Holden as New Brand Ambassador

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lotto® brand owner WHP Global and Lotto Sport Italia S.p.A. ("LSI") proudly announce the addition of soccer commentator Stu Holden as a brand ambassador for the iconic Italian sports brand. Holden, a former member of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team, is currently the lead match analyst for FOX Sports, where he covers some of the biggest sporting events in the World, including the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He is also an owner of Spanish First division soccer team, Real Mallorca, since 2016.

Key Points:

NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Lotto brand owner WHP Global and Lotto Sport Italia S.p.A. ("LSI") proudly announce the addition of soccer commentator Stu Holden as a brand ambassador for the iconic Italian sports brand.
Holden will appear in Lotto's campaign creative as well as promote the brand through event appearances and social media.
"I'm incredibly excited to partner with Lotto, a brand I've had a connection to since I was 6 years old wearing their cleats in my early soccer years.
WHP Global is a leadingNew Yorkbased firm that acquires global consumer brands and invests in high-growth distribution channels including digital commerce platforms and global expansion.

SPIRE Adds Former Olympian Kerron Stewart to the Track & Field 'Dream Team'

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

GENEVA, Ohio, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Former Olympian Kerron Stewart is joining SPIRE Academy's track & field coaching team as Head Coach - Sprints, Hurdles & Middle Distance. She will be joining Tim Mack and Kibwé Johnson to round out SPIRE's Olympian-led track & field coaching team.

Key Points:

Former Olympian Kerron Stewart is joining SPIRE Academy's track & field coaching team as Head Coach - Sprints, Hurdles & Middle Distance.
GENEVA, Ohio, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Former Olympian Kerron Stewart is joining SPIRE Academy's track & field coaching team as Head Coach - Sprints, Hurdles & Middle Distance.
She will be joining Tim Mack and Kibw Johnson to round out SPIRE's Olympian-led track & field coaching team.
Coach Tim Mack is excited that Kerron is joining the SPIRE coaching team, saying, "I am thrilled to have Kerron join our coaching staff at SPIRE.

THE EITHER Release New Album, Electronic? Folk? China-Chic Cannot be Limited

Retrieved on:

Saturday, April 30, 2022

THE EITHER is an indie electronic music band founded in New York in 2017 by Chinese musicians Zongli, Jiaju and Yang.

Key Points:

THE EITHER is an indie electronic music band founded in New York in 2017 by Chinese musicians Zongli, Jiaju and Yang.
Through the exploration of each other's inspiration, they were eventually able to create a style that is all their own.
They have described the band's name, THE EITHER, as "an abstract description of either this one or that one".
Each of the members have brought their own share of talent and a professional educational background and reputation to the band.

Para 50/50 returns for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games

Retrieved on:

Friday, March 4, 2022

OTTAWA, ON, March 4, 2022 /CNW/ - The Paralympic Foundation of Canada (PFC) is excited to announce that the Para 50/50 presented by Canadian Tire is back for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

Key Points:

OTTAWA, ON, March 4, 2022 /CNW/ - The Paralympic Foundation of Canada (PFC) is excited to announce that the Para 50/50 presented by Canadian Tire is back for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.
Proceeds from the Para 50/50 will support programming and grants for athletes at all levels from the community, all the way to the Paralympic Games through the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities' Community Development Grants.
"We are excited to be running the Para 50/50 again during the Beijing Games and to be able to expand into Alberta to further support Para sport in Canada, and ensure sport is accessible to ALL individuals," says Dean Brokop, Director, Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
The Para 50/50 has two Early Bird Prizes in Ontario and one chance at the Jackpot Prize in both Ontario and Alberta.