A 95-year-old veteran shared his thought about the grand military parade held in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
In Chongzhou City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Yin Baoqing pinned his World War II medals to his shirt with the help of a family member before watching live TV broadcast of the V-Day parade.
When the national anthem came on, Yin, whose hearing is poor, a war injury worsened by age, stood up and sang along.
Seeing the troops' impeccable marching, he said they must have trained a lot for this, and recalled that he had no training when he joined the battles against Japanese aggressor troops 80 years ago, at the age of 15.
From this display of military might, the former soldier saw the peace behind it all.
"Now life is peaceful. Back at the time when we were fighting wars it was nothing like this. In the past we were running from one battlefield to another, keeping fighting this or that enemy, unlike what is happening at the parade now, in which the troops are walking with steadiness. Now, everyone is comfortable, and at ease," he said.
Peace was the word Yin mentioned most.
95-year-old war veteran shares thoughts about V-Day parade in Beijing
The organizing committee of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games has unveiled the titles, creative visions, and first talents of the opening and closing ceremonies, as Thursday marked 50 days before the event officially gets underway.
Scheduled from March 6 to 15 across multiple Italian cities, the Games will bring together 665 athletes from 50 countries and regions to compete for 79 gold medals across six sporting disciplines.
The opening ceremony, titled "Life in Motion," will be staged at the historic Arena di Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presenting a tribute to change and transformation that seeks to redefine disability through a new harmony between people and the environment.
"I paid close attention to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which I consider one of the three or four most beautiful in the history of Olympic ceremonies. This time at the ancient Arena di Verona, we will place greater emphasis on showcasing the human element," the ceremonies' artistic director Alfredo Accatino told a Chinese reporter at the event.
The closing ceremony, themed "Italian Souvenir," will be held on March 15 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, guiding athletes, volunteers, and fans through a journey that captures the emotions and memories of the Games after days of competition and achievement.
Craig Spence, the International Paralympic Committee's Chief Brand and Communications Officer, believes that Italy will deliver "the best Paralympic Games" following the benchmark set by the Beijing Winter Paralympics in 2022.
"I think what China did in Beijing has really set the benchmark for all future teams competing in the Paralympic Winter Games in terms of performance. That's why I think Milano-Cortina will be the best Paralympic Games we've ever seen for sports," he said.
Milano-Cortina Paralympics reveal opening, closing themes as Games draw near
