Preparation quickens in Qingdao

The opportunity to host an Olympic competition might come once in a generation - at most - and the citizens of Qingdao know that as they prepare for this summer's gala.

"Everyone in the city wants to play a part in the Olympic event and make his own contribution," says Xia Geng, mayor of the city.

The atmosphere of a "People's Olympics" has reached virtually every corner of the city.

Buses picking up and dropping off passengers carry the message to "Welcome the Olympics, Improve Manners and Foster New Attitudes", while the citizens share in a notion on another sign that says: "I participate, I contribute and I enjoy".

The city government has even released guidelines to help locals improve manners and better prepare for the Olympics.

Many large gatherings have been held to popularize Olympic knowledge and spirit, according to officials from Qingdao Committee for Promoting Cultural and Ideological Progress.

The activities started last January at the 500-day countdown to Beijing Olympic Games. Other events marked the one-year and 200-day countdowns to the Games. More than 2.4 million locals have joined Olympic-related events.

Activities include an exhibition of Olympic torches, a photo contest for the 2007 international sailing regatta and building a wall with 2,008 smiling-face photos of local residents.

Some events targeted urban environmental improvement and expansion of green coverage. As a result, citizens said that they feel the Olympics are close to their daily lives further sparks their enthusiasm.

As the entire city will share the fruits brought by the Games, residents have been inspired to support the Olympic movement and to become a part of it in their own way, according to the government.

The city government also held an Olympic cultural festival that ran from April to July in 2007 and organized locals to visit the venue's sailing center - and more than 1 million came.

As well, extensive efforts have been made to popularize sailing sports among young people, with Qingdao the only city in the nation offering sailing sports for teenagers.

One thousand sail boats sponsored by companies have been given to 40 schools and 100 youth sailing clubs in the city.

More than 400,000 registered volunteers have been trained to offer various kinds of services to prepare for the upcoming Olympics, says Sun Lijie, deputy executive chairperson and secretary-general of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee.

Among them, 1,770 volunteers performed well during the 2007 International Sailing Regatta, a test event of Olympic sailing competition this year.

Now the city's taxi drivers are receiving etiquette and language training to render first-class service to athletes and visitors from all over the world.

(China Daily 04/09/2008 page24)