Sport, education and culture, as well as the state of preparations for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, will be on the agenda next week when President Rogge visits China.

Travelling to the Chinese capital direct from a visit to Tokyo, Japan, Rogge will first attend the 5th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, where he is expected to speak about the importance of educating young people through sport and about the challenge of how to increase sports participation by today’s young people.

The President will subsequently attend the opening plenary session of the 7th IOC Coordination Commission visit to Beijing. This visit will include a tour of some of the key Beijing venues, which will allow President Rogge to see first hand the development of the Beijing Olympic Games project.

This will be the second visit of the full IOC Coordination Commission to Beijing this year, as the Commission continues to guide and advise the Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG), as it works to put on successful Games in just under two years’ time.

About the 5th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture

The 5th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture is organised by the IOC and BOCOG in partnership with UNESCO. This edition, entitled “Sport and a world of harmony: The role of Olympic Education and Culture”, follows on from the last one held in Barcelona, Spain, in June 2004, which was called “Sports: a Universal Dialogue”.

The Forum will allow delegates to analyse the progress made in promoting culture and Olympic education in relation to sport, as well as discussing major themes related to sport, culture and education.

IOC