Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
The Opening Ceremony

(BEIJING, March 7) -- On Friday morning, volunteers for the Paralympic Games met at a meeting in Xicheng District. Leaders of various relevant organizations, including Liu Jian, chief of the office of the Beijing Olympic Volunteer Work Coordination Group and secretary of the Beijing Youth League Committee, were in attendance, in company with representatives from the Paralympic volunteer community.

Heads of the ceremony presented certificates and medals to the volunteers, while Wang Jiaji and Bai Yunliang took the floor. Wang Jiaji is a masseuse hailing from the Beijing blind massage training center and Bai is the director of Xicheng District's Center for Persons with Disabilities.

Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
Representatives proudly displaying their plaques labeling them as Paralympic training bases.
Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
Paralympic volunteer trainers holding up their certificates.

Liu Jian's speech at the ceremony urged planning and coordination by each school, venue, and training base related with volunteer work for the Paralympic Games. He reminded those present that their work was very important for the success of the Games, and hoped that after the Paralympics, service work would continue to support persons with disabilities.

Twenty-nine units secured as Paralympic volunteer training bases

Paralympic volunteer bases are very important for the training of personnel. These are the platforms where volunteers will learn to interact with persons with disabilities. Through close contact, volunteers will not only be trained in accommodating physical needs, they will also improve interpersonal skills. A total of 43 units applied to be training bases for Paralympic volunteers. Thirty-seven of those met the requirements outlined by organizers, of which 29 have been confirmed as training bases.

Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
A volunteer offers help to a person with disabilities.

The accepted training bases have been divided into three categories: comprehensive services, testing sites, and practice avenues. The bases are uniformly distributed to provide the most adequate services for persons with disabilities, and their coordination efforts will provide suitable spaces for the training of the 30,000 Paralympic volunteers.

BOCOG will invite experts to each training base to plan and direct practical training procedures for volunteers.

Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
Poetry readings
Twenty-nine sites confirmed as Paralympic volunteer training bases
Group picture