THE Beijing 2008 Olympic Games began on Friday and the Olympic organizers have done a great job creating resources to help young and old alike enjoy the event. The official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is at http://en.beijing2008.cn. You might notice that this Web address ends in “.cn.” This is the first time that the Top Level Domain abbreviation — .cn — which is used by the Peoples’ Republic of China has received international attention.
The website is offered in several languages, including Arabic and English. The site shows the winners and news of the Games but it also has many fun activities. From the left side menu on the home page, access a special “Fun Page” that offers wallpaper and screensavers relating to the Beijing Olympics. Another menu selection, “Olympic Culture” provides information about China. And don’t miss the “Olympic Spirit” section. In addition to learning about the Olympic rings, medals, torch, emblem and theme, there’s information about the official mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games — the Fuwa.
Fuwa are good luck dolls also called “friendlies”. Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their colors and inspiration, Fuwa carry a message of friendship, peace and good wishes from China to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope and the Swallow, plus the Olympic Flame.
Each of the Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name, a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together — Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni — they say “Welcome to Beijing!”
The official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has links to www.olympic.org, the official website of the Olympic movement. Although the Olympic Games only take place every few years, the Olympic movement is always active. The website offers a virtual tour of the Olympic Museum Lausanne. There is also a super feature called “The Olympic Personal Trainer”, which provides advice that Olympians and all of us can use in our personal life. Questions answered include, “How do you improve your concentration?” “How do you handle stress?” and “How do you visualize your dream and make it come true?” Once you have improved yourself a bit, be inspired by some amazing athletic performances. You can watch a wide selection of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games clips on YouTube (www.youtube.com/beijing2008).
Soon after the close of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, on Sept. 6 the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games will begin. The Paralympics are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical, mental and sensory disabilities. This includes mobility disabilities, amputees, visual disabilities and those with cerebral palsy. Athletes come from all over the world to compete in the Paralympics and a few athletes may compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics. For example, 19-year-old Natalia Partyka was born with a right arm that ends just below the elbow. She is part of the Polish table tennis team at the Beijing Olympics and will also be competing for Poland in the Paralympics. Learn more about the Paralympics through http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/index.shtml.
