The Beijing Olympic Committee (BOCOG) promises a "spectacular
and splendid evening gala" marking the one-year countdown to the
Beijing Olympic Games on August 8, says Zhao Dongming, head of the
cultural events department of BOCOG.
The celebrations will start at 7 PM, lasting around three hours
with a program of Chinese and Western performances at Tian'anmen
Square in the Chinese capital.
International Olympic Committee(IOC) President Jacques Rogge
will extend invitations toward more than 200 delegates from
National Olympic Committees around the world to the international
event. This is the first time the IOC is hosting the countdown
event in a host city. Normally it is marked in Lausanne, the IOC's
headquarter located in Switzerland.
Some 10,000 people are expected to watch the festivities, along
with Chinese leaders, IOC senior officials and representatives of
Olympic sponsors.
The performances including world famous pianist Lang Lang, a
Swedish artist will sing, China's Moon, an Inner Mongolian
musician will play on a traditional instrument, and some 100
Chinese singers will perform, We Are Ready, a song written
and composed specially for the one-year countdown.
Zhao also said blockades will not be set up in Tian'anmen Square
specifically for this gala, but there would be a stage set up near
the center of the square, by the countdown clock due to the
security reason. "We don't want to disrupt the general public from
visiting the square," he explained.
He added that if it rains that day, the festivities would be
moved indoors to the Great Hall of the People.
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) will broadcast the gala live
worldwide.
Beijing will have other countdown events starting in the next
few days, including people's fitness activities, arts performances,
Olympic Treasure Exhibition, and Olympic families visiting the city
will mark the whole nation's participation to the Games.
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Co-host cities, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tianjin, and
Qinhuangdao, have also organized their own countdown events.
(China Daily August 2, 2007)