《文明》杂志刊登了国际奥委会主席雅克•罗格和国际奥委会终生名誉主席胡安•安东尼奥•萨马兰奇分别为《奥林匹克与中国》（“新北京•新奥运”珍藏特刊Ⅱ）画册撰写的序言。罗格的序言为《全世界的注意力聚焦北京》（World Attention Focuses on Beijing），萨马兰奇的序言为《期盼北京2008》（Expecting Beijing 2008）。以下是萨马兰奇序言的原文：

Expecting Beijing 2008
　　 —— Honorary President for Life of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch

　　For the first time, the Olympic Games will be held in China in 2008. For the first time, the entire world will share a unique celebration thanks to the knowledge and experience of what China has achieved in thousands of years of its history and culture.

　　I would like to salute the initiative of the well-known "Civilization Magazine", which, through its "Olympic Series", makes an important contribution to the promotion of the Olympic ideals and the history of the Olympic Games among the Chinese people.

　　China is a country of culture and plays a significant role in the world of sport. China has always spread the Olympic ideal, which is based on solidarity, friendship and peace, within its territory.

　　I have always been, and will remain forever a friend of your great country. Our friendship started when I was the Spanish ambassador in Moscow at the end of the 1970s. During my 21 years as IOC President, I visited China more than 20 times. The Chinese people are friendly and warm-hearted. I feel their warmth and find myself in an ocean of friendship whenever I set foot on Chinese soil.

　　I will always remember the moment when I presented the first Olympic gold medal at the Los Angeles Games in 1984, because it was awarded to a Chinese athlete, Xu Haifeng and it was also the first Olympic gold medal to be won by a Chinese person in the Olympic history. Since then, Chinese athletes have achieved some remarkable performances throughout the world. These athletes, who have faced many challenges, become examples for future generations in China and beyond. They motivate young girls and boys, encouraging them to practise sport, and above all inspiring dreams of participating in the Olympic Games.

　　During these last decades, the changes in have been China are incredible and spectacular. China is becoming one of the most important countries in the world. Beijing’s candidacy was already a revelation. It is a bustling city which has demonstrated surprising development and is showing an imagination and new technology that startles whoever studies its current evolution.