Students from UK present their dance at the opening ceremony Tuesday morning, July 24th, 2007. [Photo: CRIENG.COM/yangyong]

With wonderful music, dancing and singing, 135 students and teachers from 13 British schools joining hands with their counterparts from across China in Beijing on Tuesday.

The gathering at Beijing Normal University featured 25 schools from UK, Hong Kong, Beijing and Chongqing and was held to start a special summer camp entitled 'Towards the Olympics, 2008'.

Two years in the making, the project connects schools in the United Kingdom with Chinese schools and promotes exchanges in culture and sports.

The summer camp is one part of the project, said Robin Jones, one of the organizers and international student advisors from Britain.

"The interesting thing is that the project has been designed by the students. It has not been all designed by the teachers, they're here to help them to assist. But the program was being designed by the students so we try to get a lot of work from them to help their understanding and their friendship."

Oti Faith, 16-year-old sprinter from the UK is raising money to helping students to come from England to China.

She said she came here with a lot of expectations of Beijing because of the upcoming Olympics.

"It is my honor to be here and to be chosen as the one for my whole school to come here. It is really good. As a student, sometimes you feel like insignificant but doing this as coming here, you make you feel like you've done something good for someone and this make you feel really good about yourself. And just making a friendship in a bond between two cultures as well as learning things of people gets your responsibility and makes you feel really good inside. "

Wang Chen, a girl from Wuluju high school, said she was so excited about making new friends from the UK.

"This is a wonderful event which provides an opportunity for us of different cultures to know each other better."

Various kinds of sport and fun games including football, running, obstacle relay, basketball and chopstick chase were held after the opening ceremony.

Ken Walsh, associate director of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust summarized the project.

"It is all about taking part and being part of the Olympic spirit."