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China is all set to host the much awaited Olympics 2008 which is slated to begin on August 8 with a spectacular opening ceremony. A series of nearly 302 events will run till August 24 entertaining the people from around the globe to its truest sense.
The slogan for the 2008 Olympics is "One World, One Dream" The slogan calls upon the whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity. The slogan is a profound manifestation of the core concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games. It was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world.
The National Stadium, known as the "Bird's Nest," will serve as the main venue of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It is located in the Olympic Green and occupies 21.4 hectares. It stretches 333 meters from north to south and 298 meters from east to west, covering an area of 258,000 square meters. The National Stadium is 68 meters high and holds 91,000 seats. The opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games, Athletics and Football events will be held in it. It has been announced that Canada's Celine Dion and Taiwan's Jay Chou would perform during the opening ceremony. 
A total of 37 venues will be used to host the events including 12 newly constructed venues.
The program for the Beijing 2008 Games is quite similar to that of the Athens Games held in 2004. The 2008 Olympics will see the return of 28 sports, and will hold 302 events (165 men's events, 127 women's events, and 10 mixed events), one event more in total than in Athens. Overall nine new events will be held, which include two from the new cycling discipline of BMX. Women will compete in the 3000 m steeplechase for the first time. In addition, marathon swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometers, will be added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis will replace the doubles events. In fencing, women's team foil and women's team sabre will replace men's team foil and women's team epee
Every emblem of the Olympics tells a story. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and carries the city's commitment to the world. The Beijing Olympic Torch boasts strong Chinese characteristics, and showcases Chinese design and technical capabilities. The Beijing 2008 Olympic medal is designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with dragon pattern.
The 2008 Olympic Mascots are the five Fuwa ("good luck dolls"). The Fuwa consist of five members that incorporate fish, giant panda, fire, Tibetan antelope, and swallow designs. They roughly correspond with the five elements of Chinese philosophy: water, metal, fire, wood, and earth. The Fuwa each have as their primary color one of the colors of the five Olympic Rings that stands for the five continents. The five Fuwa are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the first syllable of each of the five names are said together, the result is the phrase (Běijīng huānyíng nĭ) which means "Beijing welcomes you"
By: Shabina Sanad
GOWEALTHY.COM © 2008
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