Despite an overwhelming response, Beijing Olympic organizers are keen to involve more volunteers with special skills as well as those from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and foreign countries.

Since it started on August 28 the Olympic volunteer program has attracted more than 220,000 applicants and 600,000 seeking information in Beijing by the end of last month, according to statistics from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

Recruitment will move out of the capital to other provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the mainland from next month. Applicants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Chinese living and studying overseas and foreigners can apply starting March, 2007, said Liu Jian, head of the Volunteers Department of BOCOG.

Liu said recruiting and training specialized volunteers would be one of their most important tasks as the Games gets closer. "Compared with non-specialized volunteers the specialists need to deal with more complicated situations and are of more importance to the overall service level," Liu said.

The enlisting of specialized volunteers, which is to be kicked off this month, focuses on eight service sectors, including VIP escort and interpretation, vehicle driving, media operation, event organization, medical services, reception, accommodation and security. 

Liu said those who meet the requirements for the specialized volunteers and have already applied online or on paper will be included for selection.

"But the above eight service sectors do not cover all the specialized volunteers that will serve at the Games," Liu said. "People engaged in sectors like information technology, legal services, finance, accounting and logistics are also needed and we're going to enlist such kinds of volunteers from universities directly."

"We've been really touched by the enthusiasm of the people," Liu said. "I'm sure we'll have no problem in being able to find enough people with the right skills."

After rounds of selection and training the first batch of specialized volunteers is expected to be decided in March next year. They'll get warm-up practice at a series of test events starting in August. Liu didn't give a figure for the number of specialized volunteers needed for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

However, it's estimated that 100,000 volunteers -- 70,000 for the Olympics and 30,000 for the Paralympics -- are needed in 2008.

Apart from volunteer recruitment the Olympic organizers want Beijing residents to flash their smiles to make the city more attractive to the hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors who are expected to flock to the capital between now and August 2008.

"We hope Beijing residents will join in the smile campaign to turn the city into a city of smiles," Liu said. "For many people who'll not be volunteers they're expected to show their good manners and do what they can to make the city a better place." 

A test version of smile-themed wristbands for Olympic volunteers was revealed late last month at the opening ceremony of the "Smiling Beijing" campaign.

The "smile" wristbands are a series of soft plastic bands in the five Olympic colors. They're designed for the Beijing 2008 Olympic volunteers and are printed with the volunteer logo and the slogan, "A smile is the best calling card for Beijing."

The idea for the "smile" wristbands was proposed by the Beijing Volunteers Association. Around 20,000 questionnaires regarding the bracelet are being distributed to Beijing citizens looking for suggestions for the meaning that could be associated with each bracelet color. Each person who returns their suggestion will receive a "smile" wristband, according to the association. The final version of the bracelet will be issued on January 1 next year.

"Smiling is a global language," said college student Yang Ying, a member of the Bai minority group. "When foreign people arrive in Beijing during the Olympics they probably won't know any Chinese. But a smile can express everything."

However, some people think that though a smile is the symbol of Beijing volunteers, you also have to make your guests smile. Contributing nothing but a smile is not acceptable.

(China Daily November 17, 2006)