Nearly 1,900 families in 144 communities across Shanghai are set to open their homes to participants in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which get under way on October 2.

Under the Host Town Program, a non-sport activity connected to the Special Olympics, community residents will offer accommodation and organize entertainment and games, giving the delegations a chance to rest, acclimate and celebrate their time in China.

It is hoped the host program, which runs from next Friday until the following Monday, will give people with and without intellectual disabilities a chance to interact.

A total of 1,880 families and 107 hotels are involved, including the families of celebrities such as hurdling world-record holder Liu Xiang, soccer player Fan Zhiyi and film director Xie Jin.

"We chose these families from several thousand candidates and gave them training," Gao Julan, director of the community reception department of the Special Olympics executive committee, said.

"Through the program, intellectually disabled athletes, many of them in China for the first time, will fully feel the appeal of Chinese traditional culture, enjoy the city's beautiful urban scenes and tasty cuisine and experience the wonderful lives of local residents."

The community reception department also appointed about 480 liaisons to handle communication and coordination between event organizers and delegations from more than 160 nations and regions.

"It would be an honor if I could somehow make sure a delegation has an easy time in Shanghai," He Yimin, vice-president of an automobile company and the liaison official for the Venezuelan delegation, said.

Afluent Spanish speaker, the 54-year-old said he has already been in touch with the delegation via e-mail to explain to them the preparations he has been making.

The production team handling the Games' opening ceremony will put on a visual-effects show for Special Olympics athletes and audience members next Wednesday.

Participants in the Games took an oath yesterday promising to put on a good show for the audience.

More than 8,000 soldiers, students and amateur performers have been practicing for the event since July.

(China Daily September 21, 2007)