2008 Beijing Olympics

Friday, the 08th day of August 2008 at 8:00 p.m. local time, marks the commencement of 2008 Beijing Olympics which is being hosted by the Asian giant - China in its capital city of Beijing. The 17-day 2008 Beijing Olympics would start off with a splendid inaugural ceremony in Beijing. The Summer Olympic Games is an excellent platform for athletes from all across the globe to showcase their skills and talents and perform at their best while also contributing to spread the message of peace, prosperity and universal brotherhood

Hosting such a mammoth and magnificent sporting extravaganza which is held once in every four years is a matter of honor and pride for any country and its citizens. This accounts for the stiff competitions between countries that contest the bid to win the hosting rights for the Olympic Games. Beijing was bestowed the honor of hosting the 2008 Summer Games after overcoming competition from other cities such as Istanbul(Turkey), Osaka(Japan), Paris(France), and Toronto(Canada) at the 112th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) held in Moscow on 13 July 2001.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics are expected to cost approximately US$ 2 billion and bring in a profit of about $20-$30 million as per the estimates given by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG). Approximately 10,500 athletes from two hundred five nations will be participating to test their skills and talents at 28 varied sports with 302 events. The sports events would include athletics, several ball games, gymnastics, martial arts events, aquatics etc.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics are expected to cost approximately US$ 2 billion and bring in a profit of about $20-$30 million as per the estimates given by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG). Approximately 10,500 athletes from two hundred five nations will be participating to test their skills and talents at 28 varied sports with 302 events. The sports events would include athletics, several ball games, gymnastics, martial arts events, aquatics etc.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are much awaited events and the highlights of any Olympic games. The opening ceremony for 2008 Beijing Olympics will be held on 8 August at the majestic National Stadium. This will be a three-hour event and would comprise flag-hoisting, march past by athletes, speeches by China's NOC and IOC presidents, declaration by the Chinese premier that the Beijing Olympic Games has been inaugurated, pledge by athletes and officials and finally the lighting ceremony of the Olympic torch.

The relay of the torch would begin months before the opening ceremony i.e. on March 25, 2008, from Olympia, Greece. It would pass through all the continents of the world except Antarctica and traverse a distance of 137,000 km (85,100 mi.) before finally reaching Beijing on March 31, 2008. "Journey of Harmony" is the theme selected for the torch relay.

"Dancing Beijing" has been chosen as the Beijing 2008 Olympics emblem. It is a red seal with a calligraphic Chinese character ?, pronounced "jing", which means "Capital City". It is stylized to represent a dancing figure with open arms. The mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are a set of five dolls known as the Fuwa. Beibei, Jingjing, Haunhuan, Yingying, and Nini are the names of the Fuwa. "One World, One Dream", is the slogan for 2008 Beijing Olympics. It conveys the message for the world to unite in the Olympic spirit and work for the betterment of humanity. Thus Beijing Olympics is awaited with abated breath and pulsating heartbeats.