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Monday, May 05, 2008
Tuesday 29th April 2008 marked a notable milestone in the sporting calendar of the current year.
In front of the National Museum in China's capital city, Beijing, a few kilometres east of the Tiananmen Square the digital clock showed that the Opening Ceremony for the Summer Olympic Games was just 100 days away.
It is an event that was celebrated throughout the world and in very contrasting countries; notable contrasts being China and Djibouti.
Djibouti is in eastern Africa being bordered by Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is one of the world’s smaller countries having a population of less than half a million as opposed to China which has over 1.3 billion.
However, to celebrate one hundred days before the Olympics, they were both very much together.
Beijing
In Beijing on Tuesday 29th April 2008, hundreds of people gathered to send good wishes to the Beijing Olympics; the event attracted dozens of Chinese and overseas media; many taking pictures and whilst others practised the countdown from ten to one.
Table Tennis Chosen
Equally, there were celebrations in far off Djibouti as one of the biggest events organised by the Djiboutian government and the Chinese embassy in the country took place.
“Table tennis was selected to illustrate the friendship between China and Djibouti with officials from both countries taking part in team events”, explained Farah Hasan from the Djibouti Table Tennis Association. “The Chinese Ambassador, Djibouti Prime Minister and the Minister of Sport and Youth all played.”
Present
Also present were eight Djiboutian Ministers, the President of the National Olympic Committee, more than fifteen ambassadors plus the Minister of Leisure and Tourism, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chinese Ambassador.
Table tennis bringing China and Djibouti, two very contrasting nations, together
Photo by Farah Hasan