Organizers of the 2007 Special Olympics are looking for
volunteers who speak one or more foreign languages, particularly
less popular languages.
Event organizers hosted a recruitment fair at Huaihai Park
yesterday morning to attract more volunteers for the games. They
wouldn't say yesterday how successful a volunteer application
program that was set up months ago has been, or whether or not it
is meeting its targets.
Hundreds of university and high school students, as well as
middle-aged people signed up to become volunteers at yesterday's
fair.
Event officials said they plan to recruit 30,000 to 40,000
volunteers for the sports event and a majority of them are required
to have a good command of one or more of six major languages --
Chinese, English, French, Japanese, German and Spanish.
Since athletes, coaches and their families and friends attending
the Special Olympic Games will come from more than 170 countries
and regions, organizers say they need more volunteers who know
languages with a small speaking population to help with the
event.
Applications can be completed on a special recruitment Website
(www.volunteer.sh.cn) or by calling the event's hotline:
6426-5289.
Shanghai won the rights to host the 12th Special Olympics in
2002, beating over 13 other applicants, marking the first time the
games will be held in Asia. The games open next October.
Athletes will compete in 22 medal sports and four demonstration
events, including dragon boat racing and cricket, according to
organizers.
(Shanghai Daily December 6, 2006)