BEIJING, April 26, 2007 – Today the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) in the presence of the International Olympic Committee, unveiled the Lenovo-designed Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch and announced Lenovo’s role as a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay. Lenovo's design, the "Cloud of Promise," was chosen over 300 competitor themes and will be carried by torchbearers around the world in the Olympic Torch Relay preceding the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Since its inception in 1936, the Olympic torch has come to represent the history and culture of its host country and city. Lenovo's unique approach for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch incorporates a sleek and modern design with historical Chinese symbolism. The primary theme of the torch’s artwork is clouds, which are intimately associated with Chinese culture, and are often represented in works of Chinese architecture, drawing and painting, furniture and story-telling.
"As a global company with roots in China and a TOP (worldwide) Sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, it is an honor to have our torch design chosen for the Olympic Torch Relay," said Yang Yuanqing, chairman of Lenovo. "Lenovo's spirit, similar to that of the Olympic Games themselves, is multicultural, collaborative and competitive. As a TOP Sponsor of the Olympic Games and Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Lenovo has a deep understanding of the significance of the torch to the Olympic movement. The Lenovo design team brought great passion and strong professional capability and experience to create the "Cloud of Promise" themed torch, which marries modern technology and Olympic spirit with the Chinese traditional culture. We are proud for people to carry this torch around the world."