Special report:   2008 Olympic Games 

    LAGOS, August 7 (Xinhua) -- One year to the commencement of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) is playing host to Chefs de Mission from across the world, Nigeria's leading newspaper the Guardian reported Tuesday.

    The Games' apex body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC),encourages the organizers of its Games to stage one of its Chef de Mission meetings a year to the event proper. The Games is scheduled for August 8 through 24, 2008.

    Among other reasons, the special Chef de Mission meeting serves as a reminder to all affiliates members to begin countdown to the Games. The attendees would also be briefed on the detailed operational plans as well as the readiness of facilities, men and material resources being mobilized for the tournament.

    A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), Tony Nezianya, said that Nigeria was being represented at the meet, which got underway on Monday, by a joint team of the NOC and National Sports Commission (NSC). At the head of the delegation is the NOC President, Habu Ahmed Gumel. Others in his entourage are the NOC's Secretary General, Olabanji Oladapo; Emman Nweri, Olu Akoja and Emmanuel Adeniran, both officials of the NSC

    As part of the meeting, BOCOG would also hold a special session tagged "What a night it will be!" designed to feature 63 events, which will hold across the country to mark the one-year to the Games.

    The events will be categorized into four parts: theme activities organized by BOCOG, activities organized by the Beijing Municipal Government, community activities in Beijing, and activities in Olympic co-host cities and across the nation. Also, the theme song, "We Are Ready," written and composed for the Games' one-year countdown, will be released.

    According to the statement, "one of the high points of the meeting would be a celebration to be held at Tiananmen Square on the night of August 8, 2007. It will have senior members of the IOC and representatives of 200 NOCs in attendance."

    This event marks the first time that such a significant ceremony is held at the host city of the Olympic Summer Games, other than the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Other activities in the Olympic City include public fitness activities; fora, exhibitions and musical instrument competitions to feature mass participation.

    The celebrations in the co-host cities as well as other parts of China are expected to ignite the Olympic passion of the Chinese people.