A multimedia website currently being built is set to improve
this year's Special Olympic Games, according to Zhao Kai, dean of
the School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai.
Zhao is currently in the US discussing the project with
officials of their US partner -- the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).
"This is a huge project. We are devoted to making the most
memorable and successful Special Olympic Games in the history,"
said Zhao. "Sure it will become a game that fully plays up the role
of multimedia."
Upon completion, the website will carry around 7,300 videos,
each devoted to one athlete. It will further feature a homepage for
every athlete where readers can find biographies, videos and
interviews. Besides, 16 3D shows of landmark architectures in China
will be available, as well as the latest news coverage of the
sports event.
"It's an unprecedented project." Zhao added. "It's a challenge
to us, but a good opportunity to let China better known to the
outside world and make the Games more influential worldwide. We are
confident that the project will become successful."
Five students and one teacher from Fudan are currently being
trained at UNC-Chapel Hill on multimedia and programing. The
classes also include over 30 American students, 20 of whom will go
to China with the Fudan students at the end of the spring semester
to further develop the website construction.
After they return to China, the five Fudan students will serve
as team leaders for volunteers, over 200 of whom will work on the
multimedia part of the website alone.
About 7,300 athletes from 150 nations are expected to compete in
23 Olympic-type sports during the Games, tentatively scheduled for
October 10-19, 2007.
(China Daily March 5, 2007)