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IOC Seminar Focuses on Environmental Issues

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently held a seminar in Beijing on sports and the environment, focusing on the relationship between sustainable development and sports and between the Olympic Games and environmental protection. Environmental and sports experts from the IOC, the Environmental Program of the United Nations and from Japan, Spain and China attended the event.

Pal Schmitt, chairman of the IOC Sport and Environment Commission, told the seminar that the IOC hopes to increase the environmental awareness of people generally, and to attain global sustainable development through the sponsoring of such seminars.

Wang Wei, secretary-general of Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG), said that since the very beginning of Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympics, the city had consistently proposed the idea of a green Olympiad. The international community, he said, pins much hope on Beijing leaving a unique environmental heritage to the world and sports. Meanwhile, Beijing continues to learn much from previous Games hosts, including their experiences in environmental protection which might be applied in Beijing.