With aspirations of launching a future Olympic bid, PyeongChang is hosting the 2008 Dream Program from February 17 to 26. The Boxwang Phoenix Park and Gangneung Ice Rink will be welcoming 123 young athletes from 31 countries worldwide that will experience training, culture and recreation programs.
According to a media release new programs for this year include curling and ice hockey, programs for friendship and harmony with citizens including young figure skaters, short track, Hasla ice hockey team and the curling association.
Four hundred and sixty three people from 36 countries participated in the 2004 to 2007 Dream Programs.
This year five members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be on hand to meet and encourage the young athletes.
Gangwon Province Governor Jin-sun Kim said, “the Dream Program has already become the landmark of PyeongChang in the international sports world and is making effort to become an event contributing to the world winter sports with perfect preparations and progress. We greet the young potentials from countries throughout the world and hope they would train hard to participate in the Olympics as winter sports athletes”.
The Governor said last February, following PyeongChang’s loss of two consecutive bids, that PyeongChang intends to bid again for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Also, last month more than one million residents of Busan signed up to support Busan bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
