Sculptures deliver Olympic spirit

The 2008 Olympic Landscape Sculpture International Exhibition is open in Moscow. One of the pinnacles of the Olympics cultural activities, the free exhibition has drawn many Russians - to share the spirit of games.

Whether they are made from bronze, iron, aluminum or stainless steel,the 290 sculptures on display share a common ideal - the spirit of Olympics. The works are selected from nearly 25 hundred pieces submitted for the 2008 Olympic Landscape Sculpture Design Contest International Tour. Entries came from 82 countries. The event was inaugurated August 8, 2005 in Beijing. It got an enthusiastic response from artists all over the world.

A Russian sculptor said, "I hope the 2008 Beijing Olympics will strongly feature the unique Chinese national culture. It will be a big success."

A visitor said, "I believe through your efforts, the Beijing Olympics will be a wonderful sporting event."

The exhibition first made a China-wide tour beginning last June. Now it's on its way around the world. It has traveled to Athens, London, Seoul, Los Angeles, Rome, Tokyo, Barcelona, Sydney, Wellington and Gisborne. The aim is to spread the Olympic spirit and to help to achieve the ideal for a "People's Olympics".