Tens of thousands participate in Olympic Families Tour Beijing contest

(BEIJING, July 4) -- The official website (www.beijing2008.cn) launched the Olympic Families Tour Beijing campaign, in cooperation with China Mobile and the Media and Communications Department of BOCOG, launched the Olympic Families Tour Beijing campaign to make it possible for 10 families -- five from China and five globally -- to tour Beijing and the co-host cities prior to the Olympic Games.

The contact began in early April and over more than 80 days of judging, tens of thousands of families from dozens of countries have taken part in the campaign, exemplifying the Olympic spirit of participation. The campaign's purpose has been to draw more attention to the Olympic Games and to encourage more people to participate in and experience the Olympic Movement.

Later today on the BOCOG website, the 10 lucky families who have been selected to participate in the Olympic adventure will be announced.

Shao Shiwei, Deputy Director of the BOCOG Media and Communications Department, explained the significance of the campaign, emphasizing that "family" is a basic component of all societies. Allowing families from around the world to participate in the campaign truly conveyed the message, "One World One Dream."

The contestant families participated in tree-planting, badminton and other activities that allowed each family to contribute to building a Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics, and People's Olympics, the three-part mantra of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.

On June 4, the second phase of the Olympic Families Tour Beijing campaign began, when 50 families from China and 50 families from the rest of the world were selected by online voters. These families maintained a weekly "family stories" page where they shared their family experiences and ideas on specific topics.

Mr. Pál Schmitt, member of the International Olympic Committee and president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, expressed his thanks to BOCOG for organizing this Olympics-related campaign to allow so many people around the world to participate and feel their own personal connection with the Olympic Games.