On June 5, BYD, the International Canoe Federation and the China Canoe Association jointly signed a cooperation agreement in Shenzhen, and the President of the International Canoe Federation, Thomas Konetzko, the Secretary General of the International Canoe Federation, Richard Patit, the Secretary General of the International Canoe Federation, Zhang Yin, the Secretary General of the China Canoe Association, Li Yunfei, the General Manager of the BYD Brand and Public Relations Department, and Yin Dongdong, the Manager of the Brand Promotion Department of the BYD Brand and Public Relations Department, attended the signing ceremony.
The signing of this agreement means that BYD will upgrade and cooperate with the International Canoe Federation on the basis of the original identity of the "strategic partner of the Chinese Canoe Association" as the "strategic partner of the dragon boat in the Olympic Games", unite the two major institutions at home and abroad, stand in the world, show the responsibility and responsibility of Chinese brands, and promote the dragon boat into the Olympic Games.
At the signing ceremony, Thomas Konetko, President of the International Canoe Federation, said: "As the governing body of the world paddle sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the International Canoe Federation manages 16 canoe competitions and organizes various individual world championships, World Cups and other events every year, attracting millions of kayakers and enthusiasts from all over the world to participate, hoping to enhance the status of dragon boats in world events through cooperation with BYD." From next year, we plan to include dragon boating in the official competition programme of the Canoe Sprint World Cup and the 2025 Chengdu World Games, which is also a key step in the inclusion of dragon boats in the Olympic Games. In the future, the International Rowing Federation will use its influence to work with BYD to help dragon boat sports become a normalized sport loved by people from all over the world and appear on the stage of top events. ”
Dragon boat sports originated in China, but belong to the world. Today, dragon boat has become a global sport. There are tens of millions of dragon boat enthusiasts around the world, and more than 85 countries and regions carry out dragon boat sports. Zhang Yin, Secretary-General of the China Canoe Association, said: "After more than 2,000 years of development, dragon boat has successfully rowed to the world and has become an increasingly international competitive sport. The Chinese Canoe Association works closely with the International Rowing Federation to support the global development of dragon boats. The China Canoe Association will continue to cooperate with BYD in the development of dragon boat projects and the holding of international rowing federation dragon boat events to carry out comprehensive and in-depth cooperation. ”
Li Yunfei, General Manager of BYD's Brand and Public Relations Department, said: "Since BYD joined hands with the China Canoe Association in 2020, we have not only integrated innovative technologies into the research and development of competitive dragon boats, but also helped the popularization and development of dragon boat sports by organizing car owners and media to experience competitive dragon boats, promoting the Tokyo Dragon Boat Exhibition Race, and participating in the Dragon Boat World Cup. As a company based in China and facing the world, BYD new energy vehicles have spread to more than 400 cities in 88 countries and regions, and in the future, BYD will use the global influence of the brand, unite car owners, media and people at home and abroad, through close cooperation with the International Canoe Federation and the China Canoe Association, to help the development of Chinese dragon boat sports with science and technology, and promote Chinese traditional sports culture to the world. ”
With the joint promotion of BYD, the International Canoe Federation and the Chinese Canoe Association, in August this year, the competitive dragon boat will once again be unveiled as a demonstration event in Paris, marking a further step in the process of dragon boat's entry into the Olympic Games. As a strategic partner of dragon boat entry into the Olympic Games, BYD will continue to inherit and carry forward the dragon boat spirit of "unity and cooperation, hard work, and all the way forward", actively promote dragon boat entry into the Olympic Games in many fields, expand the influence of dragon boat sports in the international community, and help Chinese dragon boats, Chinese culture, and Chinese brands go global!