Nanjing Foreign Language School students show their enthusiasm about the upcoming Asian Youth Games, which will be hosted by the city from Aug.16 to 24. (JP/Musthofid)" border="0" height="383" width="510">Nanjing Foreign Language School students show their enthusiasm about the upcoming Asian Youth Games, which will be hosted by the city from Aug.16 to 24. (JP/Musthofid)

Nanjing in China will host the Asian Youth Games (AYG) from Aug. 16 to 24 and the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games. The Games’ organizers, facilitated by China Daily, recently invited a number of journalists from major Asian publications, including The Jakarta Post’s Musthofid to the city to get first-hand information not only about the buildup to the Games but on the city’s social, economic and cultural life. The following is an excerpt.

A number of students were rehearsing their English skills. They held conversations in groups. Some were unable to hide their enthusiasm when the media entourage approached them.

“We are proud to be involved in the event. It is part of our responsibility to the nation to make it a successful event,” Zong Minjie said when asked for his opinion. His female practicing partner Huang Hai nodded in agreement.

The pair, who have been practicing since April, were among the Nanjing University of Technology students who have volunteered to work for the Games. In another hall inside the university complex, which occupies some 70,000 square meters of a hilly area in the western part of the city, a number of students were rehearsing emergency first-aid training under the supervision of the local Red Cross organization.

Some others — all girls — lined up in uniforms and were introduced as usherettes for protocol ceremonies, such as medal presentations.

The university, which was established in 1902, is currently home to 31,000 students in 26 academic departments.

“From 3,000 applicants from our university, we have chosen 1,000 to work as volunteers. What they needed when applying for the jobs was that they had great enthusiasm about the Games,” Gao Ming, the university vice president, said.

“The students can benefit from the Games. That’s one of our objectives,” he said. “The Games will provide interaction among the students and their campus and the athletes.”

Expression of enthusiasm about getting involved in the Games was also shown by the students of Nanjing Foreign Language School.

Some students took their turn in making presentations to the media entourage about their school activities and pledged their support for the success of the Games.

“Through the Games, we can communicate with each other and learn about cultures,” one of them said. “It’s not only a sports meeting but a cultural forum.”

Nanjing is hailed as an important cradle of Chinese civilization and one of the nation’s four great ancient capitals.

Located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the city today is one of the country’s major scientific research and education centers, next only to Beijing and Shanghai.

The 2013 Asian Youth Games, which also serve as a fitting dress rehearsal for the Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held between July 16 and 28 2014, are expected to give Nanjing further prominence in the world’s sporting map.

The organizers pleaded for local support from all walks of life, including those from educational institutions.

Yang Weize, the executive president of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee, hoped that the schools’ involvement in the Games would allow the students to nurture the values of the Olympic spirit.

 â€œAYG is a big challenge for us. We hope it will be a happy sporting event with great enthusiasm,” said the secretary of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee.

“This morning I visited a primary school. Some students told me that they wanted to become volunteers,” he said.

The Nanjing Asian Youth Games Organizers (NAYGO) have prepared 15 venues for 16 sports competing in the Games.

The competition will mostly take place at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center located in Nanjing Hexi New City, which is the new center and symbol of the modern city of Nanjing, covering an area of 89.6 hectares from the west of Qinhuai River to the East of Yangtze River.

Nanjing in China will host the Asian Youth Games (AYG) from Aug. 16 to 24 and the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games. The Games'€™ organizers, facilitated by China Daily, recently invited a number of journalists from major Asian publications, including The Jakarta Post'€™s Musthofid to the city to get first-hand information not only about the buildup to the Games but on the city'€™s social, economic and cultural life. The following is an excerpt.

A number of students were rehearsing their English skills. They held conversations in groups. Some were unable to hide their enthusiasm when the media entourage approached them.

'€œWe are proud to be involved in the event. It is part of our responsibility to the nation to make it a successful event,'€ Zong Minjie said when asked for his opinion. His female practicing partner Huang Hai nodded in agreement.

The pair, who have been practicing since April, were among the Nanjing University of Technology students who have volunteered to work for the Games. In another hall inside the university complex, which occupies some 70,000 square meters of a hilly area in the western part of the city, a number of students were rehearsing emergency first-aid training under the supervision of the local Red Cross organization.

Some others '€” all girls '€” lined up in uniforms and were introduced as usherettes for protocol ceremonies, such as medal presentations.

The university, which was established in 1902, is currently home to 31,000 students in 26 academic departments.

'€œFrom 3,000 applicants from our university, we have chosen 1,000 to work as volunteers. What they needed when applying for the jobs was that they had great enthusiasm about the Games,'€ Gao Ming, the university vice president, said.

'€œThe students can benefit from the Games. That'€™s one of our objectives,'€ he said. '€œThe Games will provide interaction among the students and their campus and the athletes.'€

Expression of enthusiasm about getting involved in the Games was also shown by the students of Nanjing Foreign Language School.

Some students took their turn in making presentations to the media entourage about their school activities and pledged their support for the success of the Games.

'€œThrough the Games, we can communicate with each other and learn about cultures,'€ one of them said. '€œIt'€™s not only a sports meeting but a cultural forum.'€

Nanjing is hailed as an important cradle of Chinese civilization and one of the nation'€™s four great ancient capitals.

Located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the city today is one of the country'€™s major scientific research and education centers, next only to Beijing and Shanghai.

The 2013 Asian Youth Games, which also serve as a fitting dress rehearsal for the Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held between July 16 and 28 2014, are expected to give Nanjing further prominence in the world'€™s sporting map.

The organizers pleaded for local support from all walks of life, including those from educational institutions.

Yang Weize, the executive president of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee, hoped that the schools'€™ involvement in the Games would allow the students to nurture the values of the Olympic spirit.

 '€œAYG is a big challenge for us. We hope it will be a happy sporting event with great enthusiasm,'€ said the secretary of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee.

'€œThis morning I visited a primary school. Some students told me that they wanted to become volunteers,'€ he said.

The Nanjing Asian Youth Games Organizers (NAYGO) have prepared 15 venues for 16 sports competing in the Games.

The competition will mostly take place at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center located in Nanjing Hexi New City, which is the new center and symbol of the modern city of Nanjing, covering an area of 89.6 hectares from the west of Qinhuai River to the East of Yangtze River.

Getting ready: A worker cleans up the track inside the Nanjing Main Stadium. (JP/Musthofid)
The Olympic Park includes a 60,000 seat multi-use stadium, 13,000-seat gymnasium, 4,000-seat aquatic complex, 4,000-seat tennis center, 23,000-square-meter information technology center, and various recreational sports fields.

The Olympic Park will host competitions in athletics, handball, diving, swimming and squash.

'€œWe will hold the opening and closing ceremony in this gymnasium,'€ Gao Bingyan, the director of the development and planning department of Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Operation and Management Co, said.

Other venues outside the Olympic Park are located in Wutaishan (soccer, table tennis), Wutanshan (basketball) and the Nanjing International Expo Center (fencing, weightlifting), Longjiang Gymnasium (judo, taekwondo), the Nanjing Sport Institute gymnasium (badminton), the China Tennis Institute (tennis), Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club (golf), Jiangning Sports Center Stadium (soccer, handball) and the Fangshan Shooting Hall (shooting).

As many as 4,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to compete in the Games.

The organizers have built a Games Village located inside the Nanjing University of Technology complex, which will accommodate some 3,500 athletes and officials.

The village has 12 eight-story apartment blocks. '€œWe began construction last year. Eight months ago, it was barren land. We want to ensure that during the games, teams can enjoy a totally fresh environment,'€ Ding Qing, the village'€™s assistant director said.

She said that the village would be turned into a university dormitory for students and lecturers after the games.