(BEIJING, Jan. 10) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the
XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and All-China Youth Federation signed a memorandum of
agreement for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp program here on Wednesday.
BOCOG Executive Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu and Executive Secretary of
Secretariat of the Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China (CYLC)
and President of All-China Youth Federation Yang Yue signed the document on
behalf of their respective organizations.
Starting from 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games, the Olympic Youth Camp program
has been an educational and cultural exchange program under the Olympic banner
among youth. Since the 1960s, every edition of the Olympic Games has sponsored
the program aimed at fostering exchange and friendship between youths of various
countries and educating them to inherit and carry forward the Olympic
spirit.
According to the MOA, BOCOG entrusted the All-China Youth Federation with the
21-day program, which will be held from August 6-26, 2008 at China Youth Center
for International Exchange.
The camp is expected to have 800 members aged 16-18 years. They are basically
youth representatives of International Olympic Committee (IOC) member countries
and regions and Chinese youth representatives. For the first time in the history
of the Olympic Youth Camp, 50 representatives of the young people with a
disability will be invited from around the world to participate in the
activities.
This edition of Olympic Youth Camp will be themed harmony, inclusiveness,
identification, experience and creativity. Through the camp, organizers will
provide an important opportunity for the world's youth to study the Olympic
spirit, experience sport and cultural charm and promote understanding and
friendship, thus widely spreading the Olympic spirit among the world youth and
advocating the ideal of world peace, human development and common
prosperity.
With the theme slogan of "Youth creates the future of the world", the youth
camp underlines the impact of young people's innovative spirit on a better world
in the future.
The Beijing Olympic Games' youth camp program will follow international
practices while displaying Chinese characteristics. Camp members will attend the
Games' Opening and Closing Ceremonies and sports events, and some of them will
be selected to take part in Olympic Torch Relay as well as visit the Olympic
Village.
A major component of the program is to learn through experience the Chinese
history and culture. Aside from sightseeing activities and visits to be arranged
by the organizing committee, campers are expected to have an opportunity to
participate in workshops on traditional Chinese culture, including martial art,
calligraphy, folk arts and crafts and Chinese children's games. The inter-action
among campers, their talent display as well as exhibitions from different
counties and regions to feature the glamour of multi-culture and harmonious
co-existence will promote mutual understanding and friendship between youths of
various countries and regions. Specific schemes are being designed and
formulated.
Senior officials of relevant BOCOG departments and All-China Youth Federation
and representatives of the Chinese Olympic Committee attended the signing
ceremony.
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