An exhibition of photographs concerning the 2008 Beijing Olympics was opened on Friday in the Helsinki International Culture Center.

Co-sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Finland and the Helsinki International Culture Center, the show brought together more than 100 Finnish guests for the opening ceremony.

More than 70 large-scale photos are exhibited, focusing on the historic sites in Beijing such as the Imperial Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall, as well as traditional Chinese culture including Beijing opera and acrobatics.

Ma Keqing, Chinese Ambassador to Finland, said at the ceremony that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is not only a great event for the Chinese people, but also a great occasion for people around the world.

The Chinese government and the city of Beijing have made great efforts in fields such as infrastructure, venue and gymnasium construction, and social development, said Ma, adding that the Chinese people and government are confident of making the 2008 Olympics a high-level Games with Chinese characteristics.

Also on Friday, the international culture center awarded prizes to some Finnish children who won a painting competition with the theme of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The winning paintings will be exhibited in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2007)