Today China and the world will meet again. People will see that the planet is now smaller than at any time in history, that mankind should bid farewell to arrogance and indifference, to ignorance and discrimination, and understand that we share the same small piece of land. It will be a time to rediscover each other, to share what is good in life, to look each other in the eye and link all ten fingers.

Why I'll Stay Away from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Guardian, August 7, 2008. - 2000-09

Ai Weiwei: Why I'll stay away from the Olympics' opening ceremony