The many challenges of the Beijing Olympics

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"One World, One Dream." That's the theme for the 29th edition of the Summer Olympic Games which will take place in Beijing, China, during the period 8th-24th August 2008.

In the tradition of the Olympic Movement the Games will be ushered by the lighting of the Olympic Flame and the global travel of the Olympic Torch beginning in late March through to 8th August 2008. The Torch will be carried by a total of 21,880 runners across the globe for a total of 130-days.

On 8th August 2007 the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, BOCOG, the leadership of the city of Beijing and the leadership of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, came together in the great city to celebrate one year before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games 2008 officially sets off what promises to be the greatest sporting spectacle the world has ever seen.

The observance of the one year date began with a tree planting ceremony at a massive Olympic Park adjacent to the Olympic Village. Each of the National Olympic Committees, NOC's, affiliated to the IOC and scheduled to participate in the Beijing Olympics was featured with a tree planted either by its official representative or by a stand-in provided by the BOCOG. The intention here was to signify the importance of the preservation of the environment for the Games and to give some assurance that it would be one of the more impressive Green games of the 21st Century.


The Venues

The BOCOG used the period around the celebration of one year to go before the commencement of the Beijing Olympics to showcase its impressive sports venues.