Beijing is looking to recruit 4,000 bilingual volunteers to provide language services during the 2008 Olympic Games.

Organizers want to be able to provide interpreting services in 56 languages. They need multilingual volunteers for a variety of positions, including technical support for media operations and doping control center support, according to the Beijing Olympic Games Volunteer Work Coordination Group.

"We are most in need of speakers of 26 languages, such as Afghan, Indonesian and languages spoken in some African countries," said Du Yunhe, an official in charge of publicity.

Organizers say the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which begin on Aug. 8, need 70,000 volunteers. The following Paralympics need about 30,000 volunteers

At the end of March, organizers had received 400,000 applications from people wanting to volunteer.

The first batch of the volunteers, to be selected before this August, will start working on this year's test events, according to Du.

Volunteers will be provided meals but they must pay their own transport to and from Beijing and accommodation in the Chinese capital.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2007)