A multimedia website under construction is expected to make this year's Special Olympic Games more special, according to Zhao Kai, dean of the School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai.

Zhao is currently in the United States discussing details of the project with officials of the US partner - the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).

"This is a huge project. We are devoted to making the most memorable and successful Special Olympic Games in the history," said Zhao. "Sure it will become a game that fully plays up the role of multimedia."

Upon completion, the website will feature about 7,300 videos, each video devoted to one athlete. On the website every athlete will have his homepage where readers can find his biography, video play and interview. Besides, there will be 16 3D shows of landmark architectures in China, as well as latest news coverage of the sports event.

"It's an unprecedented project." Zhao added. "It's a challenge to us, but a good opportunity to let China better known to the outside world and make the Games more influential worldwide. We are confident that the project will become successful."

Five students and one teacher from Fudan are currently being trained in the UNC-Chapel Hill on multimedia and programming. Also present in the classes are more than 30 American students, 20 of whom will go to China with the Fudan students at the end of the spring semester to continue with the website construction.

After they return to China, the five Fudan students will serve as team leaders of volunteers, whose number is expected to exceed 200 simply for the multimedia part of the website.

About 7,300 athletes from 150 nations are expected to compete in 23 Olympic-type sports during the Games, tentatively scheduled for October 10-19, 2007. Twelve athletes from across North Carolina will represent the US at the Games.