Some 1,000 young volunteers from both sides of the Taiwan Straits got together in Beijing Tuesday night in a festive atmosphere to welcome the forthcoming Olympics.

A theme activity of the fifth Beijing 2008 Olympic Cultural Festival, the party at Renmin University of China witnessed splendid performances by film and TV stars, college students and Olympic medalists from the mainland.

The songs that the Taiwanese students offered included The Vast Territory of the Motherland; We Are A Family; and The descendants of the Dragon. The students submitted The Vast Territory of the Motherland to the organizers of the Olympic songs contest, and they were given the "Smiling Wristlets" worn by volunteers in Beijing.

The Taiwan students said they were looking forward to the 2008 Games and wanted to share their passion and dreams for the Olympics. The cross-Straits exchange has given them an opportunity to know China's history, taste the Chinese culture and participate in the Olympic preparations, they said.

The theme activity is to promote volunteerism among college students and spread the Olympic spirit as widely as possible.

Officials of All-China Youth Federation, BOCOG Volunteer Department and Beijing youth organization attended the gathering.

(BOCOG July 11, 2007)