Diplomats play football at the Diplomats' Sport Games Invitational 2022 in Beijing on Saturday. Photo: Xie Wenting/GT

The Diplomats' Sport Games Invitational 2022 concluded in Beijing on Saturday, which witnessed the participation of 15 foreign embassies in Beijing, the United Nations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and General Administration of Sport of China among other organizations.

The five-day event aims to provide a platform for the facilitation of understanding and friendship among diplomats stationed in China through sports and strengthening of exchanges and communication.

"Sports can promote health and connect civilizations. It is hoped that diplomats in China will further enhance exchanges and friendship through this event and enjoy the happiness brought by participating in sports together," said Wei Daishun, Director General of International Sports Exchange Center of the General Administration of Sport of China.

Wei also warmly welcomed diplomats who participated in the activities.

Mr Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, also sent his regards to the Diplomats' Sport Games Invitational 2022. He expressed his thanks to the China International Sports Exchange Center for organizing the sports event for the community in China, and highlighted the role of sports in building peace, camaraderie and solidarity, and the realizing of the third Sustainable Development Goal: "Good Health and Well-being."

This year's event is the first time that activities have been organized both online and offline. The offline activities  held on Saturday included football and badminton matches while the online activities as from Tuesday to Saturday included walking, running, and cycling.

On Saturday, other activities such as shuttlecock performance, Winter Olympics heritage displays were also arranged.

After a day of friendly competition, the top three winners in the football tournaments were the General Administration of Sport of China, the Latin American team composed of the four embassies of Uruguay, Peru, Mexico, and Ecuador, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Badminton players from the Pakistani embassy, the Indonesian embassy, and the General Administration of Sports of China and the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions took the top three spots in the men's and women's singles, and doubles.

Several diplomats expressed that they loved the events and hope to participate in the future.