In Beijing, events took place on Saturday to celebrate the first anniversary of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

A ceremony was held at night in the city, bringing audiences back to the evening one year ago and paying homage to the grand opening ceremony of the Games.

The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a speech via video to express gratitude. "Thank you for carrying this impressive Olympic legacy into the future," said IOC President Thomas Bach.

Yin Yong, the mayor of Beijing, vowed to make the city better based on its experience of holding both the Summer and Winter Games.

"We will give play to unique advantages of the city of dual Olympics, stick to opening up and innovation and deepen international cooperation," Yin said.

Those who participated in the Games met again during this special event and shared their feelings. And it wasn't just gold medals, but inspiration too.

"I grew up with the venue. The Olympics for me is a big challenge, and it is also a big achievement," said Wu Nian, deputy general manager of "Ice Cube," also known as the National Aquatics Center, where the curling competitions of Beijing 2022 were held.

"We are developing ice and snow sports, reusing the venues, and inheriting the essence of the games. This is very important," said Xu Mengtao, the gold medalist in the Beijing 2022 women's freestyle skiing aerials.

From February 4 until mid-March, a series of celebration events, including exhibitions, carnivals, parties and competitions will be held at all ice and snow venues used during the Games. 

The first anniversary celebration of Beijing 2022 has started. It aims to pass on the Olympic legacy into the future and demonstrate the new Olympic motto at its best: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.