As a volunteer applied a sticker to Diakite Mohamed Lamine's badge, the 31-year-old man from Guinea learned that he had just walked 2 km, at the start of this year's "Walking around Kunming Lake for International Friends" event in Beijing.
Organized by the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the annual walking event takes participants on an 8-km route around the lake at the Summer Palace, a historic and cultural attraction.
Launched in 2001, the event attracted more than 200 international participants from over 80 countries this year.
"I didn't expect the event to happen this year because of the pandemic. But I'm glad Beijing has done a great job in containing the virus," said Lamine, who is studying for a master's degree in environmental engineering at China University of Geosciences in Beijing.
Lamine has taken part in the walk four times. "Life has pretty much gone back to normal here, and I am so excited to come over again."
"We feel safe attending this gathering," said Iceland's ambassador to China Gunnar Snorri Gunnarsson, who was also at the event the fourth time. "I'm impressed by the solidarity exhibited by the Chinses people and the swift actions taken by the Chinese government to bring the virus under control."
Earlier this year, some Chinese students made a video to cheer up the Icelandic people after the country reported COVID-19 cases. It garnered thousands of views after Gunnarsson posted it on social media.
"In times of difficulty, greater global cooperation is needed and all nations should join efforts to combat the virus," the ambassador said.
