Second "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival: "Dynamic Beijing, Youthful Olympics'
23 June- 13 July 2004
- Opening Ceremony of the 2nd "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival
- The Olympic Knowledge Contest
- The Olympic Exhibition
- The Olympic Forum
- "Dynamic Beijing, Youthful Olympics" Celebration of the "Citizens' Day"
- Closing Ceremony of the 2nd "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival
Opening Ceremony of the 2nd "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival
The second "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival opened today, the International Olympic Day, with a grand evening gala showcasing Chinese singing and dancing staged by the China National Song & Dance Ensemble. From June 23 to July 13, Beijing citizens could take part in rich and colorful activities during the Festival.
Opening Ceremonies of the Second Cultural Festival (1).Important Part of the City's Olympic Preparation
The cultural festival is an important part of Beijing's Olympic preparation and a significant approach to the realization of "People's Olympics", said Long Xinmin, President of the organizing committee of this cultural event at the opening ceremony. By staging the annual Olympic Cultural Festival, Beijing will further demonstrate the world its brilliant culture and its citizens' high spirit, promote communication and integration of sports and culture between China and other countries, and motivate the whole society to participate in the preparation work.
The gala began with the arrival of "the Envoy of Olympia Flame", a dramatic figure used as the thread of the gala show. This "marvelous guest from afar" involves in every phase of the gala and leads the audience to a dreamlike experience of "Fantastic China Tour".
The dancing part of the performance integrated competitive sports like rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and aerial silk. In addition, "Olympic symbols" were incorporated into the designing of dance movements, stage scenery and costumes.
Officials attending the Citizens Day event have a close look at students painting cultural shirts.Chinese singing and dancing characterized by the red color and "Green Olympics" merged organically, displaying in every detail the beauty of harmony between man and sports, man and nature, and man and society. The performance blossomed in radiant splendor. The magical stage effect, joyous tone, mild music and graceful dance together made the audience intoxicated and enchanted, with enthusiastic applause bursting out once and again.
A Festival for Wide Public Participation
The second "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival is the successor and development of the first one held last year. Lasting for three weeks, the Festival will include the Olympic Knowledge Contest, the Olympic Exhibition, the Olympic Forum, a series of public cultural and sports activities and the celebration of the "Citizens' Day". This Cultural Festival's most distinctive characteristic will be its emphasis on wide public participation. During the Citizens' Day from July 10 to July 11, major parks in the urban area will offer free entry or give discounts at various levels.
The opening ceremony was chaired by BOCOG Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu. Present at the gala were Liu Qi, BOCOG President, Yuan Weimin, BOCOG Executive President, Director-general of the State General Administration of Sport and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Deng Pufang, BOCOG Executive President and President of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, officials of the central government, Beijing City and BOCOG, foreign diplomats, and Beijing citizens from all walks of life.
"Dynamic Beijing, Youthful Olympics" Celebration of the "Citizens' Day"
Popular singer Guo Feng gives a performance for Citizen Day.Beijing marked its Citizens Day by holding a large-scale cultural and sports event "Dynamic Beijing, Youthful Olympics'', one of the major activities in the second annual Beijing 2008 Olympic Cultural Festival. Senior city official Long Xinmin kicked start the event at Chaoyang Park on 9 am.
The annual Citizens' Day is a major event of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Cultural Festival. It is designed to show Beijing citizens' enthusiastic participation in the Olympic Movement under the theme of "People's Olympics", BOCOG Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu said at the opening ceremony. He said the Citizens Day will help promote the Olympic movement and enrich the citizens' cultural life.
School students attract the attention of passersby with their painting on cultural shirts.Several hundred thousand Beijing residents took part in a diverse array of cultural and sports activities in Chaoyang Park, the main venue of the event. The activities included art performances, acrobat and gymnastic shows, display of traditional Chinese sport events, children's painting contest and health equipment exhibition and consultation. Among the participants were Chinese athletic stars, who signed their names on national flags held by the citizens.
During the two-day event, Beijing staged various activities in one main venue and 17 other venues around the city. Some of the parks and sports facilities in the city offered discount ticket rates for the citizens. People attended such activities as Chinese chess contest, movie parties and Yanggek Dance- a traditional folk dance popular amongst Beijingers.
BOCOG officials Liu Jingmin, Duan Shijie, Wang Wei and officials from the Beijing Municipal Government also attended the activities to celebrated the Citizens Day with Beijing residents.
![]() Opening Ceremonies of the Second Cultural Festival (2). |
![]() Acrobat performer Adili performs atop a unicycle for the spectators. |
Beijing Paralympics Emblem Unveiled
The emblem for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games is unveiled in a grand ceremony at the China Millennium Monument today.
The emblem for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games: A character most used in ancient Chinese, was unveiled in a grand ceremony at the China Centenary Altar in Beijing."Today three years ago was a day that the Chinese nation is most proud of when we were awarded the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympics. This evening, we are here to celebrate once again and launch the 2008 Paralympic emblem," said Deng Pufang, President of the China Disabled Person' Federation (CDPF) and also a BOCOG executive president.
"The launch of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic emblem will surely further encourage China's disabled athletes to continue winning glory for our country with relentless effort and perseverance in the international Paralympic competition fields," said Deng.
The unveiling was witnessed by Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, BOCOG President Liu Qi, BOCOG Executive PresidentWang Qishan and IPC Vice-President François Terranova, together with an audience of about a thousand cheerful Beijing residents.
The Emblem for the 2008 Paralympic Games is in a figure of an athlete in motion, implying the tremendous efforts a handicapped person has to make in sports as well as in real life.Dubbed "Sky, Earth and Human Being," the emblem is typically Chinese because of its form and style, particularly of its philosophy.
The three colors in the emblem represent the sun (red), the sky (blue) and the earth (green) and reflect the integration of heart, body and spirit in human being the core of the philosophy of Chinese culture and that of the Paralympic Games. The emblem also reflects the common spirit shared by both the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games, embodying the concept of "People's Games" of the 2008 Olympics.
The character zhī, main inspiration for the Paralympic emblem.A hint of Chinese calligraphy can be perceived in the shape of the athlete, which is the Chinese character "zhī". "Zhī", most frequently used in ancient written Chinese language, means birth, life, as well as arrival and achievement. Interestingly, the shape of the Chinese character itself is made of twists and turns which implies the process of achieving goals and the life of human being. Both the emblem for the Paralympics and the emblem for the Olympics integrate traditional Chinese art elements and modern design concepts and carry the same message of friendship, joy and harmony.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) approved the design of the emblem at its Management Committee meeting held in Bonn, Germany on June 25, 2004.
The design was well- received in the IPC. When BOCOG delegation finished its presentation, members of the IPC Management Committee unanimously approved the emblem by acclamation. IPC President Phil Craven wrote his comments on a sample copy of the emblem: "An athlete whose spirit is truly in motion," implying that the design is in full conformity with the Paralympic motto of "Spirit in Motion."
The solicitation process began in March 2004, when five top design institutions, including art academies, design firms as well as a design studio, were invited to participate in the competition after they passed a preliminary screening. The China Disabled Persons' Federation was entrusted to invite designers among disabled people to participate.Upon the initiation of the competition, the participants were given a briefing to outline specific messaging and functional criteria that the design was expected to achieve. The idea was crystal clear: the emblem would has to convey a message of peace and harmony. It has to be warm and inviting as well as progressive and dynamic. While reflecting Chinese heritage, it has to be globally understood, and preferably, globally accepted. Above all, the design has to embody the concepts of Beijing 2008 Games and to spread to the world the significance that a Paralympic Games is bestowed upon.
By the end of April, 81 effective entries were received, among which 13 pieces were from handicapped designers. On May 1, a panel consisting of both international and Chinese judges evaluated all the pieces of work and spoke out their minds.
BOCOG's Executive Board, attaching great importance to the emblem and to the Paralympics itself, met on two different occasions to review the proposed designs and made their suggestions regarding the possible revision of some designs. Public opinions were also taken into consideration when representatives from all walks of life were given a chance to comments on the proposed works.The judging panel met again in early June to further review the short-listed pieces. To refine these works, BOCOG then invited some outstanding artists to revise them. The whole process was carried out in accordance with pre-set legal procedure and in line with the principles of "openness, fair and transparency."
Finally, on June 21, the State Council, China's cabinet, gave its approval to the final emblem design before it was presented to the IPC. It was unveiled on July 13 to mark a symbolic yet significant step on BOCOG's road to the 2008 Paralympic Games.