Olympic Games opening ceremony to mark competition beginning on Friday

The grand opening of the Olympic Games in China will take place on Friday, under the sign of the „number 8” – the competition begins in the eighth day of the eighth month, in 2008 at 8:08 PM (20:08). Chinese authorities promise a huge event, involving up to 15,000 people, worthy of the hundreds of millions of people who are expected to watch the opening.

The 29th edition of the Olympic Games gathered over 10,000 athletes from 205 countries. Romania participates in the event with a delegation of 102 athletes and 61 officials.

The Olympic mascots at this edition are called „Fuwa” and are inspired by the five Olympic circles, symbolizing the most popular animals in China: the fish, the Panda bear, the antelope, the Swallowtail, as well as the Olympic flame.