(BEIJING, March 3) -- Universities in Beijing will in 2007 pay attention to the training of the volunteers for the 2008 Olympic Games, according to a mobilization meeting held on Saturday.

A series of volunteer educational activities will be held under the theme of "Smiling Beijing" to bring students to the communities, rural villages, enterprises, construction sites, service industries and public transportation stops, to lecture on the Olympic knowledge and provide voluntary services with an aim to enhance awareness of participation in and service for the Olympic Games.

According information from relevant organizations, universities in Beijing were seriously involved in the Olympic preparations. Six of them progressed in the construction of Olympic venues, including those for the wrestling, judo, taekwondo, badminton, gymnastics, volleyball and other events.

Recruitment of volunteers in the universities was also smoothly under way. The volunteers rendered good services for the International Softball Federation (ISF) XI Women's Fast Pitch World Championship and provided experiences for the future events. Statistics show that over 1,000 training workshops were held for up to 400,000 students in Beijing's higher learning institutions.

Officials from the departments concerning the education and volunteer works handed out to the representatives of the university volunteers the training and management textbooks and launched the website of the Olympic Volunteer Work at Beijing's Higher Learning Institutions.

Zhu Shanlu, member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal CPC Communist Party of China) Committee in charge of the capital city's education affairs encouraged the universities to continue their efforts as they are the main sources of volunteers, major logistics providers of Games-time operation services, as well as the important institutions for skill training, scientific innovation and cultural diffusion.