The opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games held on August 8, 2008.                  China Foto Press

    ON the night of August 8, 2008, an audience of over 91,000, including more than 80 foreign leaders, enjoyed the opening ceremonies of the XXIX Olympic Games in the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) in Beijing, along with another four billion watching via television worldwide. The stunning displays and vigorous performances presented a superb visual and aural feast for the world.

    International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge called the Beijing Games "truly exceptional." The Olympics are a time for breaking records, and the 2008 Games had its share. This was the first time that the Games were held in the world's most populous country. It featured a torch relay that traversed the longest distance, covered the greatest area, and involved the largest number of participants ever. This Olympiad also welcomed an unprecedented 11,526 athletes from 204 countries and regions. Athletes representing 86 of the countries and regions won medals, 11 more than the number of winning nations at the 2004 Athens Olympics. American swimmer Micheal Phelps stood out as the most impressive competitor, winning eight gold medals and breaking seven world records.

    China, as host nation, claimed an amazing 100 medals, including 51 golds to top the gold medal tally; 14 of the events brought gold medal wins to China for the first time ever.

    People of all races and cultures gathered in Beijing as part of the Olympic family, sharing the goal of "One World, One Dream." Over 70,000 Olympic volunteers stepped up to do their very best for the Games, while another 400,000 urban volunteers along with one million community volunteers were on hand to offer top service for the record numbers of visitors to China.

    Since the Olympics, the stadiums have been transformed into worldclass large-scale sports and entertainment facilities. Icons like the Bird's Nest and Water Cube Aquatic Center, for example, have become prime tourist attractions and architectural landmarks for this modern city.

    The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games not only helped to further the development of the Olympic movement, but also enhanced mutual understanding between China and the world.