Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr (L4), vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, donates a miniature sculpture of The Olympic Door of the Year 2000 to the Hangzhou Asian Games Museum on May 8. [Photo/WeChat account: hzyy2022]

Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and founder of the Samaranch Sports Development Foundation, donated a miniature sculpture of The Olympic Door of the Year 2000 to the Hangzhou Asian Games Museum on May 8 to celebrate the opening of the museum. The sculpture symbolizes understanding, peace, prosperity, and well-being.

The mini sculpture. [Photo/WeChat account: hzyy2022]

In return, Hangzhou Deputy Mayor Chen Weiqiang offered a commemorative porcelain plate to the Samaranch Foundation.

The sculpture, created by Swiss artist Nag Arnoldi, stands six meters tall and is made of bronze. It was unveiled on June 23, 2000.

The original sculpture stands next to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland. [Photo/WeChat account: hzyy2022]

Samaranch and his delegation also visited the Hangzhou Asian Games Museum. He praised the museum's design and exhibits, believing it an important symbol of Hangzhou's contribution to Asian sports.

"I've been to Olympic museums around the world, and this one really stands out with its combination of history, emotion, and extraordinary technology," said Samaranch. He also expressed hope that the foundation will collaborate with the museum to promote sports culture and uphold the Olympic spirit.

The delegation visits the newly-opened Hangzhou Asian Games Museum. [Photo/WeChat account: hzyy2022]