Torchbearers Arthur Li and Carter Li, 14-year-old twin brothers from Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, participate in the Olympic torch relay in Milan, Italy on February 5, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of SZMS Nanshan Innovation School

The 25th Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 officially opened in Milan on Friday. Arthur Li and Carter Li, twin brothers studying at SZMS Nanshan Innovation School, participated in the Olympic torch relay in Milan, which heralded the start of the Winter Olympic Games. The participation made them the youngest Olympic torchbearers ever to represent Shenzhen.

The Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 is committed to delivering the most environmentally sustainable Olympic Games in history, embedding the principles of sustainability into every aspect of the event. By making use of existing venues, cutting carbon emissions, and adopting a circular economy model, the event aims to minimize its environmental footprint. 

The official torch for this Winter Olympic Games, named "­Essential," embodies the concept of sustainability. Crafted from recycled aluminum and brass, the torch runs on bio-LPG, which minimizes carbon emissions. Its design allows for repeat refueling, and it can be used up to 10 times. 

Notably, 90 percent of the venues for the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 are pre-existing or temporary structures. The San Siro Stadium, the venue for the opening ceremony, has undergone only necessary upgrades, while venues for the Olympic Games in Cortina retain much of the legacy infrastructure from the Winter Olympic Games 1956.

Torchbearers Arthur Li and Carter Li, 14-year-old twin brothers from Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, participate in the Olympic torch relay in Milan, Italy on February 5, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of SZMS Nanshan Innovation School

Brothers Arthur Li and Carter Li, were selected for the torch relay in recognition of their participation in the 28th and 29th UN Climate Change Conferences, where they delivered keynote speeches. At COP28 in 2023, they presented research findings on how their peers perceive climate change and pledged to help their fellow students become fully climate-literate. At COP29 in 2024, the two ­brothers returned to report on their practical actions. Over the previous year, they had ­organized a variety of activities designed to spread knowledge about climate change among their classmates. They invited experts to speak at thematic sharing sessions and engage in face-to-face discussions with students; led their peers on field trips to zero-carbon communities, enabling them to experience firsthand the concepts of carbon neutrality and ­sustainable development; and designed a series of interactive climate quiz games, helping everyone learn about climate change in a fun and engaging way.

By taking part in the Olympic torch relay, the brothers hope to integrate their vision for climate action with the philosophy of the Green Olympics and make their voices heard on an even greater global stage. Their mission is to call on young people worldwide to pay attention to climate change and take concrete action. Climate change is not an abstract issue but a real one that is closely connected to the life of every individual. The brothers also hope that this Winter Olympic Games journey will allow them to learn from the practical, replicable climate initiatives implemented by local communities.

The Li brothers have loved animals since they were young. Growing up, they joined their parents in public welfare activities and gradually came to understand how climate change threatens countless species, driving many to endangerment or even the brink of extinction. Since the age of 12, the brothers have launched initiatives calling on young people to take active steps to mitigate the human impact on climate change.