An Important Year for Beijing
2008 is an important year for Beijing, a historic city well known for its cultural heritage and today on her way to achieving the strategic goal of taking the lead in realizing modernization. In holding 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing is to take the advantage to realize her another leap in economy, but at the same time, she is much eager to communicate with the world to win more friends. Opportunities and challenges will bring this ancient city energy to confront the 21st century. As the host, we also want to inspire Olympic Spirits through the efforts of every Chinese athlete, every youth volunteer, and every Beijing resident.
In my point of view, one of the spirits advocated by the Olympic Games is to construct a peaceful and harmonious world. For centuries, Olympic Games emphasizes on sports practiced without discrimination of any race and under mutual understanding, friendship, and solidarity. Because of these, thousands of athletes become friends as well as competitors in the tracks and fields, in the swimming pools, and in every corner of the Olympic Villages. Outside the villages, the history of Olympics in the past 100 years witnesses the power of sports attracting billions of global eyes, man or women, young or old, rich or poor. Sports fans of different countries and of diverse cultures become friends simply because they love some sport and share joys and tears over the game. Moreover, the beginning of the 21st century witnesses the charm of sports capturing the younger generation in the relay race of Olympics. More youth are convinced by this spirit that there are no border lines in the sports fields, and we are sure to live in a peaceful and harmonious family of the world.
Another spirit advocated by the Olympic Games is to confront challenges and to go all out to attain one’s goal. Every minute, we are inspired by those athletes who perform to their best and break one record after another. Challenges come...