Multifaceted Forms of Intercultural Dialogue and Learning in University Students’ Volunteering at the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games

Although some research is available on interculturality within volunteering in global sports events, one area that remains underexplored is intercultural dialogue and learning in encounters between local volunteers and international elite athletes. In this paper, we examine official and informal (multifaceted) intercultural dialogues between Chinese Student Volunteers (SVs) and athletes at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. SVs' narratives are used to identify moments of intercultural dialogue and learning. The analysis focuses on the types of intercultural dialogues that SVs reported, potential opportunities for reciprocal dialogues with the athletes and the kinds of learning that seemed to be occurring during volunteering. The results show that the SVs carried out their tasks with the highest level of professionalism, following the rules guiding the kind of dialogue that they could allow themselves to have. What is referred to as 'informal' intercultural dialogue with elite athletes (reciprocity, developing different forms of connection) was minorly reported in the data, and yet SVs revealed original reflections on, e.g. identities, power relations and interculturality. This study outlines new methods for preparation in both intercultural and volunteer settings.