The recruitment of volunteers for the Beijing Olympic Games as well as the Paralympics Games was officially launched in Beijing on Monday.

"The volunteer recruitment, in line with the agenda of the IOC and BOCOG, is an important task in the preparation for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games," the International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said at the launching ceremony.

"An Olympic Games stands no chance of success without a team of well trained volunteers and high-standard voluntary services.

"As a volunteer, you will be working for the promotion of the volunteer spirit and the Olympic spirit, and implementation of the concept of People's Olympics," he said.

The Beijing Olympic organizers said the two Games will see 100,000 positions for volunteers at home and abroad.

"Beijing Olympics need the help of volunteers and the development of China also will be assisted by volunteers of all kinds," said Li Binghua, executive vice president of Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee (BOCOG).

"After research and analysis, we think 100,000 volunteers are needed to directly serve the Games, including 70,000 of them for the Olympic Games and 30,000 for the Paralympics," Li said.

The majority of volunteers of the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be recruited from Beijing-based universities and BOCOG also plans to bring in a certain number of volunteers from other parts of China including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, Li said, adding that overseas Chinese, students studying abroad and foreigners can be eligible too.

The recruitment of volunteers from Beijing started immediately after the launching ceremony while applicants from other parts of China will have to wait for a little longer before they can hand in their applications.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2006)