The 3rd Beijing Olympic Culture Festival got underway on
Thursday with an outdoor concert at the China Centenary
Altar in the capital.
The three-weeklong event is being held to mark the fourth
anniversary of Beijing's successful bid to hold the 2008 Games and
to help promote the Olympic movement in the city.
It will culminate on Sunday when the Beijing Organizing
Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG)
unveils its slogan for the Games.
Before last night's concert, there had also been an exhibition
of historical documents, pictures and souvenirs associated with
Beijing's bid.
Various events including concerts, a photo exhibition, dance
performances and an Olympic forum will also take place in Beijing
and Qingdao, which will be the sailing venue for the Games.
The documentary movie The Year of the Yao that
chronicles Yao Ming's first year in the NBA is one of 20
sports-themed films to be shown during the festival.
The Beijing Olympic Culture Festival is being held annually
until 2008.
(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2005)
