Celebration at Beijing’s Drum and Bell Towers

BEIJING, January 1, 2008 -- Olympic volunteers rang in the year 2008 at a New Year's Eve celebration at Beijing's Bell and Drum Towers. The celebration also included a release ceremony for the international edition of the Olympic volunteer "Smile Wristband."

Along with volunteers, people from all walks attended the celebration, including Luan Enjie, chief commander of China's lunar orbiting program; Zubin Mehta, an internationally renowned conductor; and Liu Junhua, a bus ticket attendant on bus route 718.

Actor Xu Jinglei

At the release ceremony, Liu Jian, director of BOCOG's Volunteer Department, and other officials issued the international edition of the 'Smile Wristbands' to volunteers.

At midnight, the bell tolled to welcome the New Year and to send the smiles and wishes of the volunteers to the world.

Liang Wei, a member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), addressed those that attended the celebration event. He thanked the Beijing Olympic Volunteer Work Coordination Group and all who had contributed to the Olympic volunteer program. He expressed hope that 2008 would be a new year of bright smiles from the volunteers, smiles that would greet guests from around the world.

Liu Jian addresses the audience.

The "Smile Wristbands" are in the colors of the five Olympic rings. The outside of the wristband shows the emblems of the Beijing Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Beijing Olympic volunteers as well as the Beijing Olympic volunteer slogan, "Volunteer's Smile, Beijing's Image." A unique serial number is on the inside of the wristband.

Yu Quan perform a song.

The volunteers are full of excitement.