BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Exchanges at various levels and with different contents at the ongoing Beijing Olympics have added much color and glamor to the Games.

The Olympic Games is not only the most important sports event worldwide, but a platform for all athletes in the world to compete in sports capability, and for all peoples to deepen their mutual understanding and strengthen their friendship.

"Exchange" has become the key word at the Beijing Olympics, which has drawn tens of thousands of athletes, coaches and journalists to the fascinating and legendary city of Beijing.

Only through exchanges, can athletes from different countries and regions push athletics to a faster, higher and stronger level, and can the human beings achieve mutual understanding and everlasting peace.

First of all, the Beijing Olympics is an arena for athletes from countries and regions to communicate with each other. On the arena, athletes compete in such areas as athletic skills, will and mentality, and learn from each other besides displaying their talent.

The Olympics is also a platform for foreigners to know about China and communicate with Chinese people. Hundreds of thousands of foreign audience and visitors have come to China for the Games, sightseeing or get-togethers.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the Beijing Olympics should not only be a playing field for all countries and regions to show their athletic capacity, but a bridge for all peoples to boost their harmonious ties, friendship and mutual understanding.

Moreover, the Olympics is a big gathering for media from different countries and regions. About 30,000 m