The 13th World Olympic Collectors Fair is being held in Beijing from June 22-28, the first time the fair will take place in China. BOCOG has included it as part of the Fifth Beijing 2008 Olympic Cultural Festival and part of the series of activities for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Admission is free.
The fair is jointly sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), BOCOG, the Chinese Olympic Committee and the China Post, and undertaken by the Sports and Culture Development Center of the State General Administration of Sport and co-sponsored by China Sports Philately Society and the Beijing Desheng International Cultural Center.
Items on display include large items such as Olympic torches, trophies, and gym suits, as well as small items like pins, coins, stamps; and other items bearing the Olympic rings.
Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC Honorary President for Life and Chairman of the Olympic Philately Numismatics and Memorabilia Commission, is attending the opening ceremony June 24.
As suggested by the IOC, the Chinese Sport Stamps Collectors Association will hold a large-scale stamp exhibition at the same time as the Fair, which includes 309 international standard-sized display cases. Beijing 2008 says the finest stamps will be selected and placed on exhibit at the Fair.
Also featured at the stamp exhibition will be Olympics-related stamps Samaranch has donated to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
Another exhibition, organized by the China Physical Culture Museum called “The Olympics and China”, will take place simultaneously with the Fair. It will feature items related to China’s participation in the Olympic Movement.
