The 'Heart-to-Heart Partnership Program of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Education' was officially launched yesterday on the 600-day countdown to the opening of the Games.

 

 

Through the program more than 200 Beijing middle and primary schools will establish links with schools in foreign countries whose athletes will participate in the Games which open on August 8, 2008.

 

Students in Beijing will exchange knowledge and greetings with their partner schools so that they'll be able to act as good hosts during the Games.

 

With support of the International Olympic Committee the program was organized by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

 

"The Heart-to-Heart Program is of far-reaching significance for teenagers. It opens up their global vision and helps people from all over the world to enjoy oriental culture," said BOCOG President Liu Qi at the launch ceremony.

 

According to the program students from partner schools in Beijing should learn about the language, culture, history, geography, customs and etiquette of their corresponding schools' countries as well as engage in exchanges.

 

During the Games representatives of Beijing students and teachers will visit the Olympic Village to attend the flag-raising ceremony, cheer for the athletes from countries of their corresponding schools and invite them to visit their schools.

 

Such educational exchange activities among students started at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games, when a 'one school, one country' project was initiated to promote communication among schools in the host city and all the countries and regions that took part in those Games.

 

The same kind of programs were also organized during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

 

(China Daily December 18, 2006)