GUANGZHOU, China - April 16, 2008 - The 16th Asian Games (www.gz2010.cn/en), part of the worldwide Olympic movement and governed by the Olympic Council of Asia is pleased to announce that the recruitment of more than 560,000 Asian Games volunteers will begin next week.

“We look forward to receiving volunteer applications for the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games from all social sectors and from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, Chinese students studying abroad and international friends,” said Wang Huanqing, Director of the Volunteer Department of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC).

Mr. Wang made his comments at a press conference here in Guangzhou where he briefed reporters on the preparations for volunteer recruitment for the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.

Specifically, Mr. Wang said the volunteer recruitment program for Asian Games will begin at 9 p.m. on April 21, 2009, with the final deadline for applications will be in September 2010. Information will be posted on the Asian Games website at www.gz2010.cn/en.

The program will be divided into two parts - the Games-time Volunteer Project and City Volunteer Project.

Wang estimates that 60,000 people will be recruited as Games-time volunteers for the Asian Games, among whom 40,000 will be generalist volunteers and 20,000 will be specialist volunteers.

Games-time volunteers will be involved in a wide range of services, including:

l Reception
l Translating and interpreting services
l Transportation
l Security services
l Medical
l Spectator services
l Goods distribution
l Communication liaison, as well as support for competition organization
l Venue operations
l News operations and cultural event organization

Some 500,000 city volunteers will also be recruited for the Asian Games.

There will be three kinds of city volunteer - volunteers at city volunteering service stations; social volunteers and cheerleading volunteers.

During the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games volunteers will be involved in services facilitating normal urban operations; building favorable social atmosphere and promoting civilized behavior among spectators and creating harmonious environment.