The volunteer program for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is open to all people in the world and the Games organizers welcome those institutions and individuals who wish to become volunteers to take part in the program, BOCOG Executive Vice President Li Binghua said.

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In a meeting with Mr. Lester Monts of Michigan University, USA, Li said the volunteer program is moving on schedule with the recruitment and training due to start this year.

Satisfactory progress has been made in the preparatory work of the 2008 Olympiad in the past years, which cannot be separated from BOCOG's effort to strengthen international communication and uphold an open-up approach, Li said, adding the volunteer program will also abide by the open-up principle.

The Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) is willing to cooperate with institutions concerned at home and abroad to jointly push forward the volunteer recruitment, Li went on.

Monts said Michigan Uiversity hopes to join the program and wishes to make contribution to the 2008 Games.