July 8 was the beginning of the one-month countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games. On this day, the Beijing Olympic Games Main Press Center, the International Broadcasting Center and the 2008 Beijing International Press Center officially opened and began to welcome media from all over the world. At present, the organization work for the Beijing Games has entered its final, critical stage. The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee is working closely with Beijing and cities holding events outside of Beijing. They are fine-tuning the details, strengthening rehearsals and training exercises; and have firmly implemented security, so as to complete the final phase of work.
On June 28, the Beijing Olympic Stadium, the "Nest," was declared complete at its inaugural ceremony. At this point, all 37 competition venues of the Beijing Olympic Games in both host and associated cities are ready. From July 3 to 4, Beijing kicked off a "dress rehearsal" for Olympic Village accommodation, security, catering, transportation, volunteers, and other aspects. Solutions were found for problems spotted on-site, such as the additional of handrails and railings to the stands of the National Stadium; and ultra-high media seats and special television broadcast space were set up in the "Water Cube".
A two-team structure command system - general and operational headquarters - has been established for the Beijing Olympic Games, which can effectively integrate day-to-day management of the city with special circumstances during the Olympics. At present, dozens of security program projects have been completed. All departments and venues are operating on "real-time" drilling and rehearsal. Beijing has prepared all the necessary security and protection arrangements. On July 5, Beijing began marking the Olympic vehicle traffic lanes. The Olympic lanes, 285.7 kilometers in one direction, will be put into use on July 20. Earlier, Beijing introduced some Olympic transportation security measures and stopped the operation of some government vehicles and more than 300,000 high-emission vehicles. From July 20, Beijing will ban vehicles with even- and odd-numbered license plates on alternate days. At present, Beijing has a total of 816 star-rated hotels and 4,978 hostels that can meet the basic needs for reception and accommodation during the Olympics.
As the Olympics are fast-approaching, Beijing exudes a joyful, harmonious and festive atmosphere. The Olympic flower beds are laid out in Tiananmen Square right now. Over 1 million pots of flowers will welcome the Olympic events. From June 23 to September 16, the sixth Olympic Cultural Festival will bring a variety of activities, for which artists from more than 80 countries will give no less than 1,474 performances selected from 336 classical repertoires in more than 30 theatres in Beijing. The final rehearsal and preview of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, directed by famous director Zhang Yimou, will take place in the "Nest" this month.
At the moment, smilingm cheerful volunteers are not hard to find in Beijing. On the morning of July 1st, Chang Zhifu, one of 400,000 volunteers in Beijing, came to the city's volunteer service station in the Beijing Book Building to distribute flyers and provide guides to tourists. She can communicate with foreign tourists in English. "I am ready to serve the Olympic Games!" From July 1, approximately 100,000 on-site game volunteers, 400,000 city volunteers and more than 1 million community volunteers have joined the team.
On July 7, the Olympic torch relay passed through Lanzhou, provincial capital of Gansu Province. Enthusiastic people ran alongside the torch relay team, sharing in the hope and dream of the Olympics. On August 8, 2008, the torch, after traveling 137,000 km and being transferred by more than 20,000 people, will light up the main torch in the Nest and officially unveil the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
By People's Daily Online
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