An ongoing photo exhibition showcasing hundreds of selected pictures depicting aspects of Asian life, culture and traditional sports, has a special significance to promote culture and sports interaction for the Guangzhou Asian Games, an official with the games organizing committee said.

"In modern society, sports should be well integrated with culture. For the 2010 Asian Games, we will organize more events to promote further public awareness and appreciation of Asian cultures," said Luo Jingjun, publicity director of Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC).

The photo show, named "Human Memory", was co-organized by GAGOC and the Chinese Institute of Folkway Photography.

On display are 300 photos chosen from Humanity Photo Award organized by the institute, reflecting Asia's rich cultural diversity and close relationship between sports and lives in the region.

Admiring the show, Hans D'Orville, Assistant Director-General for Strategic Planning of UNESCO, said: "The photos are not only document, but also capture the beauty of cultures in Asia".

The GAGOC should hold an Asian Games that features and respects diversity of Asian cultures and sports event, he added.

"More various cultural events, such as literature and book exhibit, film festival, or even a food festival, will help develop the games into a cultural carnival. By doing so, people from all Asian countries and regions will share the cultural diversities in Asia," he said.

Before the exhibition, at a lecture themed "sports and culture" in the Sun Yat-sen University, D'Orville emphasized the harmonious interaction between the physical and intellectual dimensions.

"The interaction must be well embedded in the promotion and teaching of a culture of peace, mutual understanding, reciprocal respect of different civilizations and cultures," he said.

In modern society, specifically, sports and culture are the twin pillars for every major international sports event, which also appears as a cultural carnival, he said.

"Guangzhou Asian Games should strive for an organic combination of sports and culture, strengthen the communication among local Lingnan culture, traditional Chinese culture and that of all over the world," he said.

In an interview with China Daily, D'Orville said that UNESCO will work closely with GAGOC to organize cultural events to promote Asian Games and Lingnan culture.

"I am here to present the lecture. It is part of cooperation between UNESCO and GAGOC to promote cultural approach for sports events," he said.

Editor: Yan