Guangzhou, August 29 - September 3 will mark 100 days to go the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games. On August 29, Lin Daoping, Deputy Secretary General of the Guangzhou Municipal Government and the Guangzhou Asian Para Games Organising Committee (GAPGOC), briefed the media at a press conference on the preparations for the Games and the development of welfare services for disabled people in Guangzhou.
GAPGOC holds a press conference on August 29.
Lin Daoping, Deputy Secretary General of the Guangzhou Municipal Government and GAPGOC
GAPGOC has started preparations for Games-time operations, according to Lin. It has been confirmed that the Games will feature 19 sports and 432 events. The General Competition Schedule, Competition Schedule by Session and "Sports Technical Manual" have been released. By August 28, 40 countries and regions had submitted entries by number. The organisers have also compiled "Technical Officials Service Policies and Standards", held test events and launched the Electronic Accreditation System. Barrier-free facilities at Games venues will be delivered with the venues by September 30. Taking into account standards of the Asian Games, GAPGOC has made policies on accommodation (barrier-free rooms), catering, transport (barrier-free vehicles), meteorological services, environmental protection and public health and named the Headquarters Hotel and designated hotels for the Asian Para Games. It has also set up the Games' Host Broadcaster and made media policies and broadcasting and signal production plans. Meanwhile, tickets for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games went on sale and a decision has been made that the competition of every sport will offer free admission to spectators.
The selection of torchbearers will begin in September while preparations have been going smoothly in areas such as the theme song, port services, language services, the production of medals, sport presentation and medal ceremony etiquette.
A total of 25,000 people have been recruited as Games-time volunteers, including 6,000 core members.
The organisers have staged a number of events to promote the Games, such as the Launch Ceremony for the Emblem, Mascot and Slogan of the Games, the One-Year Countdown Evening Gala, the New Year Evening Gala, the 200-Day Countdown celebrations and the Games' tour at Shanghai Expo. On September 3, GAPGOC will hold a charitable gala themed "Glory of Asia, Light of Life" in honour of the 100-day countdown to the Games.
Mr Lin also revealed a plan that GAPGOC will provide financial support to five members of each delegation participating in the Games, three of which must be athletes.
There are over 500,000 people with disabilities in Guangzhou, accounting for 5.26 per cent of its total population, said Lin. The city has been endeavouring to improve the welfare of them. Apart from subsidies, the authorities also help them with accommodation, education, employment, healthcare, transport, social securities and legal services.
In February 2005, Guangzhou was honoured as a National Barrier-Free Model City. It pledges to make more improvement for the upcoming Asian Para Games.
(Wang Lei)
