Cai Yingbo
SHENZHEN began promoting the 2011 Summer Universiade with an exhibition at China Millennium Monument in Beijing yesterday, five days before the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, crowning Shenzhen’s 30 years of development.
It hopes to attract many Olympic sports fans to the city in three years’ time for the world’s summer youth games.
“As the Olympic Games approach, Beijing is attracting increasing world attention. The exhibition will serve as a window for Games spectators to learn about one of the country’s most energetic cities,” Shenzhen Vice Mayor Liang Daoxing told guests at a ceremony yesterday.
The exhibition, co-organized by the Information Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the Executive Office of the Shenzhen 2011 Summer Universiade, attracted more than 200 visitors on the first day, including nearly 50 reporters from domestic and overseas news agencies.
Dai Feifei, Shenzhen gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics at the 21st Universiade, was named figurehead of the 26th Summer Universiade.
“It is a good opportunity to learn about the Olympics and help the world learn about Shenzhen,” said Dai.
A dozen volunteers including six from Shenzhen were recruited to translate for foreign visitors, with Luo Jiapeng, 14, a Shenzhen Futian Foreign Language School student, the youngest.
“Through the exhibition, we hope to show Shenzhen, as an international city, has a special team of volunteers who can speak foreign languages, and we want to tell the world that we are ready to embrace the 2011 Universiade,” said Zhang Wei, the leader of the foreign-language volunteer team.
The Shenzhen exhibition was part of the “one world, one dream” Beijing Olympic Exhibition, which features themed city expositions
Other cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Qingdao will also promote their cities during the Games.
Shenzhen won the bid to host the 26th Summer Universiade on Jan. 16, 2007.