BJT07 - Beijing 2008 Olympic games

Haha, after like, 1 week plus le, finally post reflections for Beijing trip 2007, been so busy for the past few days, go msia, go sch, host visitors. Zzz, now that i'm free, will start on those reflections stuff and of course i wanna save my report that i handed in, here.

I shall now name the Beijing trip 2007 BJT07... in short la, coz the nex few posts will have daily reflections, individual postings. Well, here goes the report for the teacher de, CNPed here.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Beijing, the capital city of China had been given the honour to host the Olympic Games, a global event, in 2008. Following this decision is loads of planning and preparation for the People’s Republic of China. The winning of this bid in 2001 for the host of particularly the summer Olympic games is hard to come by and hence China is doing her very best to look into all aspects like the facilities, competition locations, communications and other needs. According to the locals, many think that it is a chance for the 1.3 billion Chinese to ‘shine’ and show the world that they are more than just a heavily populated nation; it is an opportunity to draw the world’s attention to China’s rising economy, technology and as an influential world power.

China is known for her long yet mesmerizing history and culture; hence the Beijing 2008 Olympic emblem also reflects China’s unique culture and tradition. The design is seen as a combination of a red seal used commonly since ancient China and a traditional calligraphy written Chinese character ‘jing’ from the words ‘Beijing’. The symbol is known as ‘Dancing Beijing’ where the ‘jing’ is written like a dancing athlete with implications of world peace, progression, love and hospitality. The slogan ‘One World One Dream’ conveys the profound message of world peace and progress, working together towards a common aspiration despite the difference in language and race. This is an inspiring phrase that expresses what is needed most in the world today, peace among mankind in the one world we share and care.

The most eye-catching article related to Beijing 2008 Olympics is the Fuwa, official mascots of the event. Fuwa literally means ‘good luck dolls’ and they consist of 5 members, representing 5 traditional elements and the 5 Olympic rings. Each of the ambassadors namely Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini, are created to express different meanings and greetings. When the names are put together, it will produce the phrase ‘beijing huan ying ni’ which means ‘Beijing welcomes you’.

Beibei represents the blue Olympic ring, with the design of a fish and carries the blessing of prosperity.Jingjing is an endangered animal from China, the panda. Despite being the black ring, it brings happiness to people everywhere. Huanhuan is a more unique character as it being red in colour, symbolises the Olympic flame. Of course, he spreads the passion for sports and Olympic spirit. The yellow ring, Yingying, represents the Tibetan antelope. He brings the blessing of health as the antelope is an active and agile animal that runs the vast fields of China. Lastly, Nini is the green ring, the swallow or kite that spreads good luck and fortune across the skies. These characters are very meaningful and they convey the wishes that the Chinese host have for their visitors in 2008. These mascots are successful in spreading news of the arrival of the Olympic Games in 2008. Merchandises and cartoons made featuring them are very popular among locals and tourists.

The biggest preparation still lies with the facilities and the schedule of the games itself. The Beijing National stadium was constructed in preparation for the games; it is to hold the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games. The place is known as ‘Bird nest’ due to its unique nest-like design and features. Other 30 venues for the games are clustered around Beijing city hosting more than 300 events. Transportation and communication systems are also carefully planned and built. The main modes of transport like the subway trains, buses and taxis will be widely available by then. The Olympic Village will also be constructed with the best facilities with training centres to cater the needs of athletes.

Despite these preparations, many people are still concern about many problems that still surfaced in China such as environmental and social issues. The air pollution problem still lingers and had tarnished China’s image. It has been identified that the heavy traffic is causing this and hence there are actions to reduce on-road cars and consumption of petrol. Water supply has also been a huge concern as even the locals are aware of the problem; thus most were drinking from bottled water instead of the tap. In terms of social problems, the government are trying to bring attention to the locals to be conscious of their actions and will implement penalties like fines. The appearance of counterfeit money notes in recent years had been a major predicament; tourists and even locals themselves are conscious of notes during any transactions. Other morally incorrect behaviours like spitting and shouting inconsiderately in public places are also discouraged.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is a grand event that involves the masses around the world in a way or the other. I believe that we are all counting down till the 8^th of August 2008 along with Beijing, excited to see how well Beijing can show its warm hospitality and contribute to the success of each game.