Framed by the picturesque Laoshan Mountain range and wind-swept by a cool sea breeze, several candidate families vying for the status of "Olympic Family" began an environmental journey on Saturday in Qingdao, Shandong Province at the request of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

The five selected families taking part in this activity hail from Zhejiang, Henan and Shandong itself.
 
"We hope to spread the message of the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the Olympic spirit to more people around the world," said Yin Xiangmei, the mother of the "cycling the world" family.

In 2002, this family began cycling round the world to promote the Olympics. Having traveled over 100,000 kilometers in five years, they covered most of China as well as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and other southeastern Asian countries.

She told China.org.cn, "Next, my daughter and I aim to travel to the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and so on. Thus, we hope to let the world know more about China."

As a retired worker from Qingdao and with a daughter studying in college, the next step may be a difficult one, particularly since Yin tragically lost her husband to illness last year.

The daughter Wang Yun added: "My family lost a member and a firm supporter and it was very hard but we will not give up. We miss him. We will go on. We will fully undertake my father's will. Never, never give up – this is also part of the spirit of the Olympics!"

Father Lin Shaomao with his kin operating under the "Love our Olympics, love our families" theme thought it wise to have his five-year-old daughter to this activity.

"Environmental protection is everyone's duty. Children are the future and they should be aware of this at a young age. Although my little daughter is only five years old, I want her to appreciate the importance of environmental protection," he said.

After putting a cigarette into the black garbage bag, his daughter Lin Jiayi cheerfully exclaimed: "Mommy, I picked up 30!"

"I hope my friends in kindergarten will help me protect our environment! And I want foreign children to help us too. I love the Olympics! I love our environment!" she said.

On April 9, the official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games started the "Olympic Families Tour Beijing" campaign, which will make it possible for ten families, five from China and five from other countries, to tour Beijing and the co-host cities ahead of the Olympic Games.

Since the launch of the campaign, a total of 1,972 families from 70 countries and regions have registered online to take part.

On the initiative of BOCOG's Media and Communications Department, the selection will take place on the Web with the ten winning families beginning their tour of Beijing and other co-hosting cities in August 2007, one year ahead of the Olympics.

The campaign will serve as a living embodiment of the Olympic theme slogan "One World One Dream". Families with a keen interest in the Beijing Olympics from around the world will be able to meet other in a spirit of friendship and understanding.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Wang Ke in Qingdao, May 28, 2007)