At the official handover of the Olympic flag from Athens to Beijing, host of the 2008 Summer Games, there will be a “surprise” eight-minute gala showcasing Chinese culture during the Games’ Closing Ceremony, directed by Chinese movie director Zhang Yimou.
Zhang will be assisted by about 130 Chinese artists. He said, “the show is mainly dancing and movements that everyone will be able to understand. My aim is to show the world that Chinese culture is also international”.
Jiang Xiaoyu, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2008 Olympics, said the national anthem will be played at the closing ceremony. “Then Athens will hand over the Olympic flag to Beijing officials and after that the eight minute show will start”.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Chang Ung is upbeat about the prospect of a unified team between the two Koreas at the Beijing 2008 Games.
In an interview with South Korean news channel YTN in Athens, Chang said the National Olympic Committees of both South and North Korea have agreed in principle to create a single team for the 2008 Games.
He explained the two sides now have only the details to work out with the IOC and other relevant sports bodies and that the Taekwondo federations of the two Koreas were working to unify their organizations as well.
