Beijing citizens are being asked to patiently wait in line, to stop using “dirty words”, to “behave appropriately and friendly”, to keep the streets clean and beautiful, to observe courtesy rules at sports venues, and to treat others with sincerity and honesty during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
As part of its efforts to improve good manners Beijing is inaugurating a campaign to encourage people to wait patiently in line. The campaign slogan is “Welcome the Olympics, Improve Manners and Foster New Attitudes”, and “I Join, I Contribute, I Enjoy”.
Zhang Huiguang, director of the Capital Ethic Development Office in charge of the new civility drive, said that on February 11 the symbol of the campaign will be unveiled in Wangfujing, one of the main commercial streets, while other activities will take place in the rest of the city.
On that day, “Polite Queuing Day”, the street will host a gathering of leading city officials and citizens who will try to sell new, more polite ways of lining up, to the local citizenry. It is one of many upcoming events being held.
Information brochures will be sent to local residents’ homes and distributed at train and bus stations, commercial streets, the international airport, construction sites, etc. of increase social awareness of the problem.
The 11th of every month in Beijing is to be “voluntarily wait in line” day. Zhang said, “the reason for establishing such a day is to mobilize the Beijing population to ensure that where there are more than two people, they should wait in line. We are hoping to enlist all the citizens of Beijing to be missionaries of civilization”.
Other measures include enlisting the support of the media, education campaigns, the use of model citizens, legislation, punishment and reward schemes, as well as a slogan for each city district.
Promotion activities will be held at the 500-day, one year, and 300-day countdown to the Games, Zhang told a press conference at the Beijing Olympic Media Center Wednesday.
Zhang said themed cultural activities will also be held during the one-week Spring Festival beginning February 18 to increase the campaign’s social impact.
Zhang told the media that existing campaigns against littering and spitting in Beijing had already reaped dividends.
