Multi-linguistic information services will be provided to remove language barriers for Olympic participants, according to a draft of the special program for the construction of a Digital Olympics, released yesterday.
The Digital Olympics Plan is an important part of the General Olympic Games Action Plan. The Beijing government and more than 30 well known experts and scholars are in charge of it.
"A digital Olympics is the highlight of 2008 Olympic Games," said Zhang Yuhang, division chief of the Beijing Municipal Office for National Information Infrastructure.
"It will fully take advantage of modern information technology and build a variety of necessary information infrastructures and application systems."
It is important to provide comprehensive information services for the public which also meets the needs of the disabled, Zhang said.
"In a word, having a digital Olympics will ensure that anybody at any time and in any place related to the Olympics can enjoy secure, efficient and affordable information services," he said.
The draft also includes plans for an Olympics digital hub, a landmark building that would provide multifunctional comprehensive services for the 2008 Beijing Games.
The hub will display construction achievements for the Games and showcase athletics and the rapid speed of Beijing's information construction to the whole world.
After the Games, the hub can be used again as a command center for major activities in China and Beijing.
"Digital Olympics" will greatly accelerate the implementation of "Digital Beijing," and provide Beijingers an opportunity to show the world the accomplishment the city has achieved, according to Zhang.
The Digital Olympics Action Plan committee is seeking comments from people both at home and abroad on its draft which has been released in both Chinese and English at the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee's Web Site (www.Beijing-2008.org).
Chinese residents and people across the globe are welcome to send their comments and suggestions by email, mail, or by phone.
(China Daily October 23, 2002)
