The Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp (OYC) - slated for August 6 to 17 with the theme "Youth Creates the Future" - is an integral part of the Olympic Games and is of great significance in carrying forward the Olympic Movement. Some 480 campers from around the globe and throughout the People's Republic of China are expected to participate.
The goals of the Olympic Youth Camp are:
• Spread the Olympic spirit,
• Showcase the cultural history and the folk-custom of the host city (and country) and
• Promote communication and friendship among the youth of the world so as to create a unique Olympic experience.
The OYC began at the Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games, when King Gustav V of Sweden invited 1,500 Boy Scouts to pitch their tents near the Olympic Stadium and celebrate the Games. Over a century, almost every Olympic Games has hosted the Olympic Youth Camp. Started from 2004, the Olympic Charter clearly defined in Chapter 5 Rule 50, "With the authorization of the IOC Executive Board, the OCOG may, under its own responsibility, organize an international youth camp on the occasion of the Olympic Games."
The OYC in China will be unique from previous Camps in three specific areas:
• It will be the most largest participation of the NOCs in OYC history according to most updated registration, that the Olympic Committee from 196 countries and regions will participate in Beijing Olympic Youth Camp;
• Individuals with a disability will be participating for the first time, and
• The Beijing OYC will emphases the innovative spirit of youth, as its theme stresses the contribution that the innovative spirit of youth makes to the world.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad will accentuate the ideas of science & technology, offering a once in a lifetime experience through colorful activities among campers to actively encourage teenagers' innovative spirit.
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp has three goals:
• Fully appreciate the strength of youth from every country and region and the traditional Chinese culture;
• Promote the Olympic spirit among the youth of the world, advocate the ideals of world peace, cooperation and development and shared prosperity; and
• To make the Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp the brightest spot of the Olympic Games of high-level and distinguishing features.
The campers will carry out various colorful exchange activities focusing on the three main lines of 'Olympic experience', 'cultural exchange' and 'understanding China', so as to spread the Olympic spirit, promote the understanding and friendship among youth of different countries and to demonstrate the brilliant time-honored history and culture of China.
During the holding of the Olympic Youth Camp, 20 torch bearers from the Olympic Youth Camp will be joining the torch relay activity in Hebei, Henan, Tianjin and Beijing.
Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp is one of 15 non-competitive venues of Beijing Olympic Games. It has one director, five deputy directors and one secretary. Based on its main responsibilities, the team was divided into eight functional areas of coordination, the management of campers, security and transportation, camp operation, event arrangement, service support, volunteer management and publicity and promotion. It consists of 62 people, mainly from the relevant departments of BOCOG, the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, Beijing 101 Middle School and other units related.
Some 383 volunteers will deliver voluntary services to all kinds of activities organized by the OYC.
(china.org.cn June 25, 2008)