More than 4,000 people gathered?in Lhasa?Wednesday at
a ceremony marking the one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Games.
The celebration started with a creative performance in which
2,008 middle school students from Lhasa imitated the domino effect
by gently falling to the ground one after another in front of the
Potala Palace, forming the pattern of the Olympic rings and the
number "2008".
"I am honored to be part of the celebration and I hope I can
visit Beijing to watch the games next year," said Ouzhu, an
18-year-old Tibetan student.
It took the students 10 days to practise the display, said
Ouzhu.
More than 2,000 local residents and tourists watched the
performance.
The celebration also included the official release of Beijing
Olympic souvenirs in Tibet.
Song Haiyan, sales assistant at the only souvenir shop in Tibet,
said trial sales since the shop was opened a month ago has been
satisfactory, and she is optimistic about future business.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)