A multimedia website currently being built is set to improve this year's Special Olympic Games, according to Zhao Kai, dean of the School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai.

Zhao is currently in the US discussing the project with officials of their US partner -- the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).

"This is a huge project. We are devoted to making the most memorable and successful Special Olympic Games in the history," said Zhao. "Sure it will become a game that fully plays up the role of multimedia."

Upon completion, the website will carry around 7,300 videos, each devoted to one athlete. It will further feature a homepage for every athlete where readers can find biographies, videos and interviews. Besides, 16 3D shows of landmark architectures in China will be available, as well as the latest news coverage of the sports event.

"It's an unprecedented project." Zhao added. "It's a challenge to us, but a good opportunity to let China better known to the outside world and make the Games more influential worldwide. We are confident that the project will become successful."

Five students and one teacher from Fudan are currently being trained at UNC-Chapel Hill on multimedia and programing. The classes also include over 30 American students, 20 of whom will go to China with the Fudan students at the end of the spring semester to further develop the website construction.

After they return to China, the five Fudan students will serve as team leaders for volunteers, over 200 of whom will work on the multimedia part of the website alone.

About 7,300 athletes from 150 nations are expected to compete in 23 Olympic-type sports during the Games, tentatively scheduled for October 10-19, 2007.

(China Daily March 5, 2007)