An important part of the ongoing Qingdao International Sailing Week and Qingdao International Marine Festival, the High-level Dialogue on the 10th Anniversary of the 2008 Qingdao Olympic Sailing Competition was held on Aug 12 in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province.

Themed around "Olympics: adding charm to the city", the event gathered more than 200 distinguished guests from influential organizations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Union of Olympic Cities and the World Sailing organization to discuss various topics such as inheritance and use of the host city's Olympic legacy, sailing industry development and city brand building.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Yu Zaiqing, vice president of the IOC, said that Qingdao, China's Sailing Capital, played host to the sailing events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and received the world's best sailors.

Yu praised the city for fully utilizing the world-class sailing center built for the 2008 Olympic sailing competitions, hosting many large-scale international events including the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the Extreme Sailing Series, and the ISAF Sailing World Cup.

Qingdao has been carrying forward the Olympic spirit, which also presents China's confidence and determination to inherit the Olympic values, Yu added.

Li Quanhai, vice president of World Sailing, the sport's world governing body recognized by the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee, said that from 2008 to 2018, Qingdao has made considerable progress and development in the sailing industry.

Through the organization of a series of international competitions and self-owned brand events, Qingdao has cultivated its marine culture and raised its international profile as a sailing city, said Li.

Jointly organized by the Chinese Yachting Association, the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, the Qingdao municipal government and the Qingdao Major International Sailing Events (Festival) Organizing Committee, the high-level dialogue offered keynote speeches and panel discussions.

The speeches included "Development of Beijing and Olympic Legacy Inheritance and Innovation" by Liu Jingmin, executive vice president of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association; "To be a Sailing City" by Axel Bauerdorf, head of Sailing & Business-Kiel-Marketing GmbH; and "Winning together -- a Global Success Story: a Case-study of the 14-year Partnership between Qingdao and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race" by Jonathan Levy, director of sponsorship of that competition.

Panel discussions included "Olympics, International Sailing Events and City Brand" and "Prospects of Expectations for the Marine Leisure Sports Industry".

The event also released the Qingdao Consensus which urges carrying forward the Olympic culture and spirit.

The High-level Dialogue on the 10th Anniversary of the 2008 Qingdao Olympic Sailing Competition is held on Aug 12 in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Yu Zaiqing, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of High-level Dialogue on the 10th Anniversary of the 2008 Qingdao Olympic Sailing Competition in Qingdao, Shandong province, Aug 12. [Photo/dzwww.com]