The recruitment of volunteers for the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games has seen an overwhelming response since it was launched on August 28.

According to the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG), by Thursday afternoon, more than 150,000 people in Beijing had registered to be volunteers, including more than 120,000 university students applying through the campus recruitment offices. The rest handed in applications through websites and local youth organizations.

Meanwhile, the Beijing Olympic Call Center had received more than 580,000 phone inquiries, including 192 from overseas.

A total of 70,000 volunteers will be needed for the Olympic Games, and another 30,000 for the Paralympic Games. The majority of the volunteers will be recruited from universities in Beijing, with rest coming from other parts of the country and abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2006)