Olympic Emblem

Every emblem of the Olympics tells a story. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and carries the city's commitment to the world.

Milestone

"Dancing Beijing" is a milestone of the Olympics. It serves as a classic chapter of the Olympic epic inscribed by the spirit of the Chinese nation, calligraphed by the deeper import of the ancient civilization, and molded by the character of Cathay's descendents. It is concise yet deep inside, bringing forth the city's gradual changes and development. It appears dignified yet bears a tune of romance, reflecting the nation's thoughts and emotions.

In the lead up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the emblem will attract more and more people from around the world to Beijing and China to join the great celebration with the Chinese people.
Commitment.

"Dancing Beijing" is a Chinese Seal. It is engraved with commitment made to the Olympic Movement by a country that has 56 ethnic groups and a population of 1.3 billion. While witnessing the advocacy of the Olympic Spirit by a nation with both ancient civilization and modern culture, it also unfolds a future-oriented city's pursuit of the Olympic Ideal.

It is a symbol of trust and an expression of self confidence, standing for the solemn yet sacred promise that Beijing - the host city of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - has made to the world and to all mankind.

"Complete sincerity can affect even metal and stone (literally meaning sincerity smoothes the way to success)." The inception of our ancestors' wisdom and the image of a seal made of metal and stone allow the emblem to present Chinese people's respect and honesty for the Olympics.
The moment we earnestly imprint the emblem with the "Chinese seal", Beijing is about to show the world a grand picture of "peace, friendship, and progress of mankind" and to strike up the passionate movement of "faster, higher, and stronger" for mankind.

Image

"Dancing Beijing" serves as the city's foremost appearance. It is an image that shows the eastern ways of thinking and the nation's lasting appeal embodied in the Chinese characters. It is an expression that conveys the unique cultural quality and elegance of Chinese civilization.
With inspiration from the traditional Chinese art form - calligraphic art, the character "Jing" (the latter of the city's name) is developed into the form of a dancing human being, reflecting the ideal of a "New Olympics". The words "Beijing 2008" also resembles the vivid shapes of Chinese characters in handwriting, voicing in concise strokes of the countless feelings Chinese people possess towards the Olympics.

As people ponder on the rich connotations and charms of these Chinese characters, a "New Beijing" has thus been brought forward.

Beauty

"Dancing Beijing" is a favorite color of the Chinese people. The color "red" is intensively used in the emblem, pushing the passion up to a new level. It carries Chinese people's longing for luck and happiness and their explanation of life.

Red is the color of the Sun and the Holy Fire, representing life and a new beginning. Red is mind at ease, symbol of vitality, and China's blessing and invitation to the world.

Hero

"Dancing Beijing" calls upon heroes. Olympic Games functions as the stage where heroes are made known, miracles created and glories earned, and where every participant constitutes an indispensable part of the occasion.

The powerful and dynamic design of the emblem is a life poem written by all participants with their passion, affections, and enthusiasm. It is an oath every participant takes to contribute power and wisdom to the Olympics.

The emblem cheers for arts and for the Olympic heroes, who pass down the essence of the Olympic Spirit, which well connects sports and cultures.

Spirit

"Dancing Beijing" extends the totem of the Chinese nation. The form of a running human being stands for the beauty and magnificence of life. Its graceful curves are like the body of a wriggling dragon, relating the past and future of one same civilization; they are like rivers, carrying the century-old history and the nation's pride; they are like veins, pulsing with vitality of life.
The intrinsic values of sports -- athlete-centered and people-oriented - are well defined and upgraded in an artistic way in "the dance of Beijing." We sing if words fail to explain it all, and we dance if the singing does not explicitly tell the meaning.

Vigorous Beijing is looking forward to the celebration in 2008 and the Olympics wait all mankind to dance together.

Invitation

"Dancing Beijing" is a kind invitation. The open arms in the emblem say that China is opening its arms to welcome the rest of the world to join the Olympics, a celebration of "peace, friendship and progress of mankind."

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" The idiom portrays the feelings of friendly and hospitable Chinese people and expresses the sincerity of the city.

Come to Beijing, take a good look at the historical heritages of China's Capital city, and feel the pulse of the country's modernization; Come, share every piece of its joy, and experience the vigor of the country; Come, and let us together weave a peaceful and wonderful dream.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214070081.shtml

About BOCOG

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) was established on December 13, 2001, five months after Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

BOCOG currently consists of 26 departments -- responsible for numerous Games functions ranging from venue planning to environmental management.

BOCOG will gradually expand its departments and staff to meet the time-sensitive demands of the Olympic preparations. By 2008, there will be more than 30 departments and 4,000 staff working under the BOCOG umbrella.

Headquarters: Beijing Olympic Tower, 267 Beisihuanzhonglu, Haidian, Beijing, P.R.China

Postal Code: 102008

Tel: +86 10 66692008 Fax: +86 10 66699229 E-mail: 2008@beijing2008.cn

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/

Beijing Olympic Main Press Center opens

(BEIJING, July 8) -- The Main Press Center (MPC) for the Beijing Olympics formally opened on Tuesday, July 8 and will follow a 24-hour operation schedule between July 25 and August 27 for media crews from around the world, Director of the MPC and IBC operation team, Sha Wanquan, told reporters Tuesday.

The International Broadcast Center (IBC), nearby the MPC, also began operation Tuesday, stated Director of the BOCOG Median Operations Department, Sun Weijia, who joined Sha at the press conference.

The Chinese government, Beijing Municipal Government and BOCOG have attached great importance to media services with courtesy for media members a top consideration, both Sha and Sun stressed.

With a floor space of 62,000 square meters, the MPC is the largest media center in Olympic history. Located within reach of the "Bird's Nest", "Water Cube", National Indoor Stadium, the Olympic Fencing Hall, the Olympic Village, Media Village and other venues, the MPC allows for more convenient news coverage and easy access by journalists.

The two media hotels are conjoined to the MPC, allowing for direct flow between media work space and living quarters, setting a precedent for the Olympic Games, Sha said.

With 971 workstations, the press work room is also the largest in Olympic history. Among these workstations, 680 are equipped with electrical and network interface features to provide media crews with optimal communication capabilities. An additional 206 workstations will be available for photographers. W-LAN and laptop locks will accompany all stations for user convenience. To date a record 144 media organizations have rented 110 offices at the facility.

The MPC and IBC will follow international practice to provide information terminals, Games-time live broadcasting, competition results, and print and distribution service stations. "In addition, we have also set up a resource area offering a variety of international newspapers, magazines, and library facilities for members of the media," Sha said. "Abundant news coverage and press conferences addressing various topics will also be conducted to provide additional information," he added.

For added convenience, the MPC will offer facilities such as free of charge internet buffet, mobile phone charging stations, Internet IC card lending machine, a bank, a post office, a UPS center, a medical station, a pharmacy, a licensed product shop, a dry cleaning shop, a hair dresser, a travel agency, a convenient store and vending machines. The MPC will also offer a restaurant with a wide selection of international foods, media lounge, massage room, gym, showers and other spaces for relaxation.

Discussing the IBC, Sun said that it would also offer similar facilities for media teams. Additional information would be made available through press conferences from July 8 to 23. Starting July 8, the help desk will begin accepting applications for use of interview facilities and assisting crews with navigating the facility and addressing any concerns.

Offering optimal working conditions and cutting edge technology capabilities has been a priority for planners. "Ever since the early planning stage, we have been committed to top service and setting new Olympic precedents with our offerings," Sun said.

This would be the first time high definition signals would be provided to broadcasters to serve over four billion spectators around the world.

"This is also the first time that new media technologies such as the internet and mobile phones will be used for widespread broadcasting," Sun said.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214441189.shtml

My Olympic Story: 100 days, 100 stories

(BEIJING, April 16) - Were you born on August 8, the date the Beijing Olympics begin? Are you full of knowledge about Olympic events? Then you're already playing a role in the Beijing Olympics.

If you think you have an Olympic destiny, don't keep it to yourself; tell your story and inspire others! Allow us to share your Olympic experience with the rest of the world today.

The official website of the Olympic Games is asking for stories that reflect your support for the Olympics and the contributions you are making towards the preparations for the Games. We welcome stories from all perspectives. You can also send pictures!

Entries will be accepted until August 6. Beginning April 29, on the occasion of the 100-day countdown to the start of the Games, we will select and post one story every day until August 6, for a total of 100 stories.

The star of every selected story will receive a special certificate and commemorative Olympic souvenir, and the 100 selected stories will be published as an anthology and become a part of the Olympic Museum collection as a cultural legacy of the Beijing Olympics.

Please log on to http://en.beijing2008.cn/story/ for more information.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/dynamics/headlines/n214309769.shtml

Beijing in final sprint for Olympic preparations

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Taxi driver Wang Xiancheng thought his English language level urgently needed improving, as the summer Olympics in his home city of Beijing is just one month away as of Tuesday.

"My English is still not good enough for a chat," said Wang, who learnt the language mainly from tape recordings, while driving.

However, he considered the best way to learn is to speak face-to-face with English-speaking passengers.

Beijing authorities launched an English learning campaign for the 90,000 taxi drivers in the city in 2005. With this effort, many drivers now have enough English for a small chat with their passengers.

After three years of construction, the Main Press Center (MPC) and International Broadcasting Center (IBC) of the Olympic Games were opened on Tuesday, kicking off the media service for the event, which is expected to draw 30,000 foreign media people.

In the one month run-up to the Games, the Olympic host city is gearing up security forces to sweep 90 sports venues, 110 Olympic contracted hotels, 700-km sports tracks, the Olympic athlete village as well as 2,000 sites for Olympic-themed activities, to eliminate any security loopholes in the city.

The city has built an anti-terrorist force of nearly 100,000 commandos, police and troops on high alert for attempted terrorist attacks.

National-level anti-terrorist drills have been launched to test the reactions against chemical attacks, hijacking and other possible contingencies.

Security forces in Beijing's co-host cities of Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong have been patrolling the ground and skies of all venues and the maritime safety of coastal venues.

Beijing metro passengers have been subjected to security checks since June 29. Locals have got used to the frequent presence of explosives sniffer dogs in metro stations and at the airport.
Paper metro tickets, which had been used for more than 30 years, disappeared from Beijingers' lives in early June, to be replaced by travel cards. And now commuters have bilingual direction boards with lively cartoon images showing the areas around the metro stations.

"Beijing's metro network is no different from that of Paris and is newer. It is convenient and safe, and the best part, no litter at metro entrances," said Hamath Sali, a Senegalese tourist.
Beijing and its citizens have taken the Games as a chance to upgrade the city's etiquette. To make sure that everyone knows how to behave, brochures were sent to 4.3 million families and training provided for 870,000 drivers, hotel service staff and booking clerks.

Authorities have been determined to change the city's bad hygiene image. More than 5,300 new public toilets have been newly built or refurbished, so that a visitor is never further than 10 minutes walk from a toilet in the downtown area.

In addressing the dog problem, Beijing introduced a "one family, one dog" policy in 2006, when it also joined a nationwide campaign against unregistered dogs. So far, the city's 700,000 dogs have been vaccinated.

Beijing authorities have also set up dog-raising discipline supervision committees in 95 percent of communities in urban areas and 85 percent of villages, where residents volunteer to check bad behavior by dogs and owners.

Beginning from June, the country's postal service has suspended mailing parcels containing liquids until Oct. 31, following a previous liquid ban introduced in April on carry-on baggage in domestic flights. The ban was brought in for fear of terrorist attack following a failed attempt to blow up a Southern Airlines flight from Urumqi, Xinjiang to Beijing in March.

The city took 300,000 high-emission cars permanently off its roads last week, as part of measures to clean up the capital's airand ease traffic on the clogged highways.

The organizers announced its Olympic vehicle control plan earlier last month, which bans private cars on alternate days from July 20, depending on whether their number plates end in odd or even numbers. Half of local and central government vehicles will be off the roads during the event as well.

The measures could help reduce 63 percent of traffic pollution emissions in the city.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214442169.shtml

Beijing upgrades park toilets for Olympics

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) - Beijing is upgrading its park toilets to better serve tourists during the August Olympiad.

This year, the capital had invested 15 million yuan (about 2.2 million U.S. dollars) in refurbishing 128 toilets in 11 city-managed parks. It was also building seven new ones.

According to a park administration center guideline, all park toilets must have their doors, windows and inner walls cleaned and painted. They also must be equipped with free soap, tissue, hand dryers and ultraviolet disinfection lamps.

Previously toilets at the famed Summer Palace saw long line-ups. Now, seating had been provided while they wait. Diaper tables have also been installed for tourists' convenience.

The upgraded toilets are all equipped with free soap and tissue and offer the disabled easy access and usage.

Each month, the Summer Palace's 23 toilets consumed 4,752 rolls of tissue, 214 liters of soap and 57.5 liters of detergent, a park spokesman said.

The expenditure on tissues alone in the 11 parks stood at 1.5 million yuan annually, an official with the park administration center said.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214440126.shtml

One million Olympic tickets remain unsold

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Organizers of the Beijing Olympics said on Wednesday that about six million tickets for the Aug. 8-24 Games have been purchased, accounting for 86 percent of the total tickets available for sale.

Zhu Yan, head of the Beijing Olympics Ticketing Center, told a press conference that around one million tickets remain unsold now and the majority of them are the tickets for soccer competitions in the four co-host cities -- Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao and Shenyang.

"We plan to put on sale the remaining tickets in late July, and people will be able to buy tickets at the Olympic venues by then," said Zhu.

According to Zhu, of the six million tickets that have been sold, the Chinese domestic public purchased 3.43 million, including 800, 000 reserved for the primary and middle-school students, while the rest went to the National Olympic Committees, the International Federations, the International Olympic Committee and sponsors.

Zhu said that as many as 185 NOCs have booked Olympic tickets, and it is a proof of the attraction of the Beijing Games.

"As far as we know, 185 is a record number in the history of the Olympic Games," he said. "So judging from the ticket sales, we can say that the Beijing Olympics is a grand party of the Olympic family."

Meanwhile, Zhu also announced that 830,000 tickets for the Sept.6-17 Paralympic Games will go on sale across China as of Friday, with the price ranging from 30 yuan (about 4.35 U.S. dollars) to 80 yuan (about 11.6 U.S. dollars).

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/tickets/news/n214441784.shtml

Four Chinese shuttlers, three Olympic tickets

(BEIJING, June 18) -- World No. 4 Zhang Ning of China hopes her performance at the ongoing Indonesia Super Series will help get her to the Beijing Olympics.

She will face some tough competition among her compatriots, as IOC rules stipulate that only three Chinese can compete in Beijing. World No.1 Xie Xingfang has already secured one of three badminton team, revealed that the shuttlers' performances in recent major world badminton tournaments could determine whether the players will have a chance to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/badminton/n214409994.shtml

FLASH: China and Russia earn Olympic tickets in Men's Double

(BEIJING, June 18) -- Crews from China and Russia have qualified for the 2008 Olympics in the Men's Double after finishing in the top two spots at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta on June 18, in Poznan, Poland.

Men's Double final results:

1. China -- 6:32.59
2. Russia -- 6:36.10
3. Bulgaria -- 6:36.39
4. Italy -- 6:38.87
5. Poland -- 6:39.98
6. Czech Republic -- 6:52.95

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/rowing/n214409697.shtml

Olympic tickets distributed to Olympic Education Schools

With the Beijing Olympic Games one month away, BOCOG and the Ministry of Education distributed Olympic tickets allotted for schools involved in the Olympic education program nationwide on Tuesday.

Following the practice of previous Olympics, BOCOG is offering elementary and secondary schools under the program up to one million tickets, or 14 percent of the total ticket pool, at low prices of five yuan to ten yuan per ticket. Opening and closing ceremony tickets are not included in the special ticketing program.

To ensure sound arrangement for students' accommodations and transportation, ten high schools in Beijing have been designated as hosts to offer affordable services.

BOCOG and the Education Ministry have also issued a special invitation to 65 teachers and students from earthquake-hit areas in Sichuan Province to attend the Olympics as a part of the program.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/tickets/news/n214441784.shtml

Beijing 2008: top players head Olympic tennis tournament

With the participation of 17 of the top 20 men and 18 of the top 20 women, the 2008 Olympic tennis tournament will certainly be an event not to be missed from 10 to 17 August on the courts of the new Olympic Tennis Centre in Beijing. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has released the direct acceptance list for the Olympic tennis event in singles and doubles (document to be downloaded from the ITF website).
With the two world No.1sIn Beijing, the world No. 1s, Roger Federer (Switzerland) and Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) will lead the strongest field ever to enter the Olympic tennis event since tennis returned as a full medal sport in Seoul in 1988. All five of the top men will compete in Beijing, and seven of the top ten women. The number of competitors will be 172 maximum.
Who will succeed Massu and Henin?

In Beijing, Nicolas Massu from Chile will be able to defend his 2004 Olympic titles (singles and doubles) as he has received one of the six ITF places. In the women’s singles, to find out who will succeed the Belgian Justine Hénin as Olympic champion, we will have to wait until 16 August 2008. For the men’s and women’s doubles, the Olympic winners will be crowned on 16 and 17 August.

Source; http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2626

Get Into The Olympics--The Easy Way

Wed, Jul 9 09:30 AM Peter Hoy, Forbes.com

Face it: You're not the perfect athlete.

You're no Michael Phelps, and you're no Carl Lewis; heck you probably didn't even make varsity in high school. So if you want a trip to the Olympics, and you didn't start training when you were 7 (Phelps did), you're probably going as a spectator. But don't despair--it's entirely possible that you can compete as an athlete in the London games in 2012 (it's far too late to qualify for Beijing). You are just going to have to take the road less traveled.

In Pictures: Five Strategies To Get Into The Olympics

If you just want to be able to call yourself an Olympian in the loosest sense of the word, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes 31 demonstration sports, from bandy to korfball. Never heard of those? Neither have most people, which is why you'll have a (relatively) good shot at getting on a national team. Korfball, by the way, is a derivation of basketball that stresses minimal physical contact, and bandy is a cousin of ice hockey.

For the real deal, however, and a spot in London 2012, you're going to have to choose from one of the events on the IOC's official program. Your best bet is to find an easy sport and a non-competitive country to send you.

Of the 28 official Olympic summer sports, rowing might be your best choice--specifically, the seldom considered and oft-ridiculed position of coxswain, or the guy that motivates the rowers and steers the boat. By Olympic standards, it's a pretty easy job. You spend most of your time sitting down.

So easy, in fact, that in lieu of trials, China's state-run television launched an American Idol-type reality show in 2006 to find a pair of navigators who will sit in the sterns of China's racing shells for the Beijing Games.

Coxing requires little in the way of conditioning, speed or strength. You will, however, have to watch your weight--the American who coxed his eight-man boat to the gold medal in 2004 weighed only 121 lbs, and the Romanian gold medalist who coxed the women's eight that year weighed in at a slight 110 lbs.

Too old or too fat for coxing? Target shooting might be the call.

The Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn was 60 years old when he took home gold in the 1908 Olympics. He picked up a silver medal 12 years later when he was 72--almost 20 years older than life expectancy at the time.

Now you need to find a country willing to send you. Think small. Think non-competitive.

Countries like Ecuador and Paraguay, which each have won a grand total of one medal in the summer games, might have room on their Olympic squads. In fact, there are 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) qualified to participate in the summer games, and many of these don't have enough athletes to compete in every event.

If you are an American, you might not even have to give up your U.S. citizenship. Included among the smallest NOCs are U.S. commonwealths and protectorates such as American Samoa (pop. 58,000), Guam (pop. 176,000) and the Marshall Islands (pop. 62,000). American Samoa only sent two athletes to the 2004 Olympics, Guam sent three and the Marshalls will send their first-ever Olympic squad to Beijing in 2008. You could be part of their future.

Good luck.