(BEIJING, Dec. 17) -- The "Heart-to-Heart Partnership" program, a component
of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games' education program, was launched in Beijing on
Sunday, as the day marks the 600-day-countdown to the opening of the Beijing
Olympic Games.
BOCOG President Liu Qi, together with State Councilor and BOCOG First
Vice-President Chen Zhili, touched a five-color ball to initiate the program,
while students at the ceremony cheered.
With support of the International Olympic Committee, the program is
endeavored to enhance exchange between students of the Beijing-based elementary
and secondary schools and youngsters of the countries and regions where members
of the Olympic Family come from, realize the wishes of "One World One Dream,"
and jointly pursue the Olympic ideal of "Unity, Friendship, Peace."
Up to now, Beijing has involved 200 plus elementary and secondary schools in
the program. These schools will enter in partnership links with Olympic and
Paralympic committees of various countries or regions, and each of the schools
will have contact with a school of a corresponding country or region.
The program requests that prior to the Olympic Games, students of the partner
school in Beijing shall learn about the language, culture, history, geography,
customs and etiquette of the corresponding country or region as well as engage
in exchange with the corresponding school. During the Olympic Games,
representatives of students and teachers of the school shall go to the Olympic
Village to attend the welcome ceremony, go to the competition venues to cheer
for the sports delegation of the corresponding country or region, and invite
athletes of corresponding team to visit their school.
Speaking at the ceremony, Liu Qi, also member of the Political Bureau of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of Beijing
Municipal CPC Committee, said that the program will help the youngsters develop
a global vision, making them builders of a harmonious world. While also helping
the widespread of the splendid Chinese culture and sharing of the Chinese
civilization with the rest of the world, the program will help cultivate a
friendly yet passionate social environment for the athletes from around the
world, he said.
Liu expressed hope that schools involved in the program will well organize
educational exchanges to contribute to the staging of a "high-level Olympics
with distinguishing features."
Also present at the ceremony were Wang Qishan, mayor of Beijing and BOCOG
executive vice-president; Liu Jingmin, vice mayor of Beijing and BOCOG executive
vice-president; BOCOG executive vice-presidents, Jiang Xiaoyu and Tang
Xiaoquan.
Vice Minister of Education Chen Xiaoya introduced to the audience the program
and Counselor and Director of the British Council Michael O'Sullivan delivered a
speech.
A number of Diplomatic envoys to China and representatives from over 200
schools participated in the ceremony.
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