MILESTONES ON THE WAY TO 2008

July 13, 2001
Beijing was selected as the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games at the 112th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Moscow.

December 13, 2001
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) was established.

June 2, 2003
Chinese President Hu Jintao met with IOC President Jacques Rogge in Lausanne, Switzerland, expressing the Chinese Government’s full support for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

August 3, 2003
The emblem of Beijing 2008 Games named “Chinese Seal – Dancing Beijing” was officially unveiled in a grand ceremony held at the Hall of Prayer in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

September 1, 2003
The Marketing Plan of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was officially launched.

September 21-29, 2003
Beijing held the first “Beijing 2008” Olympic Cultural Festival.

December 2003
National Stadium, the main venue for the Beijing Olympic Games, broke ground, marking the beginning of Olympic venues construction.

June 9, 2004
The Olympic Flame for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games made a massive journey across Beijing and was greeted by millions of Beijing residences.

June 10, 2004
Volkswagen Group (China) became the first partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

June 23 – July 13, 2004
Beijing held the second “Beijing 2008” Olympic Cultural Festival.

July 13, 2004
The Emblem of the 2008 Paralympic Games named “Heaven, Earth and Human Beings” was unveiled in Beijing

August 29, 2004
Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan, who also serve as a BOCOG executive president, took over the Olympic Flag from IOC President Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony of Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

September 21, 2004
The Countdown Clock of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was set up at Tian’anmen Square in central Beijing.

November 1, 2004
The Beijing Olympic Media Centre was established.

December 16, 2004
China’s State Council reshuffled BOCOG’s leadership. Chen Zhili, state councillor, was appointed as first vice-president.

May 31, 2005
The Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co.,Ltd. (BOB), host broadcaster of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, was inaugurated.

June 5, 2005
The Beijing Olympic Volunteer Programme was launched, and the logo of volunteers for the Beijing Olympic Games was unveiled.

June 23 – July 16, 2005
Beijing held the third “Beijing 2008” Olympic Cultural Festival

June 26, 2005
The Beijing 2008 Olympic slogan, “One World One Dream”, was officially announced.

July 8, 2005
The IOC made a decision to move the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events from Beijing to Hong Kong.

September 21-23, 2005
The 2005 World Broadcaster Briefing for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was held in Beijing.

September 24, 2005
Green Olympic Logo for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was unveiled.

November 11, 2005
The mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were unveiled.

April 16, 2006
The creation staff for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was made public.

September 6, 2006
The Paralympic mascot Fu Niu Lele was unveiled.

October 26, 2006
The 2008 Olympic competition schedule was completed.

November 29, 2006
The prices of Olympic tickets were unveiled.

March 27, 2007
The 2008 Olympic medals were unveiled.

April 15, 2007
Beijing 2008 Olympic tickets went on sale

April 26, 2007
The 2008 Olympic Torch and Olympic Torch Relay route were unveiled.

June 11, 2007
A new official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games goes online.

August, 2007
Nation celebrates one-year countdown to the 2008 Games.

September 6, 2007
Paralympic torch relay route announced at one-year countdown.

March 31, 2008
Beijing started a ceremony in Tian’anmen Square to welcome the Olympic flame from Greece and kick off an international torch relay.

May 2008
Thirty-one Beijing venues ready for Olympic Games

May 13, 2008
To show support for disaster relief, donation boxes were set up at the starting and finishing points and along the torch relay route to encourage people to help with the relief work.