Olympic Events

Time

The Games' opening ceremony (directed by Zhang Yimou) will reportedly begin at 8:08 p.m., August 8, 2008; the closing ceremony will take place on August 24, 2008.

Olympic Emblem

Every emblem of the Olympics tells a story. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" reflects Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and expresses the city's commitment to the world. Inspired by Chinese traditional art forms and its calligraphic arts, the character jing (the second character in the city's name) has been styled in the form of a dancing human being. The words Beijing 2008 resemble the vivid shapes of Chinese characters in handwriting, voicing in concise strokes the boundless feeling the Chinese people possess for the Olympics. The colour red is the colour of the sun, representing life and a new beginning.

Olympic Slogan

"One World One Dream" symbolizing an Olympiad rooted in peace, unity and friendship行has been chosen as the slogan of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. After months of debate over ideas about the spirit of the Olympic Games, and sifting through suggestions from every corner of China and from around the world, BOCOG announced the four simple but powerful words on June 26, 2005. They convey a great meaning, crystallizing ideas from more than 200,000 people from home and abroad.

Olympic Mascot

The Five Olympic Games?mascots were unveiled in 2005, exactly 1,000 days before the event's opening ceremony. The mascots, which feature four of China's most popular animals, the fish, the panda, the Tibetan antelope and the swallow along with the Olympic flame, were presented at a televised gala held at the Workers?Gymnasium. The choice of five mascots marks the first time that more than three images will share Summer Olympic mascot duties. The names of the five mascots行Bei Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying and Ni Ni行when put together, express the idea that "Beijing welcomes you!"