London, which has just taken over the Olympic flag from Beijing, will stage events soon to celebrate cultural diversity for its 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. The Chinese culture is also highlighted in this international city.

According to a press release from the UK Embassy in Beijing, the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad will run from September 26-28, 2008 in an "Open Weekend" programme involving hundreds of innovative cultural events across the country.

People across the UK will have the chance to visit spaces, places and people and be involved in creative activities.

Almost 30% of London's population belong to an ethnic minority group; and there are 50 non-indigenous communities with more than 10,000 people living in London.

The six month "China Now" festival concluded just before the Beijing Olympics. In 100 cities and towns in the UK,1,300 events were held as part of "China Now" attracting 2 million attendees.

In previous years London also hosted "India Now" which ran from July to September 2007. Another widely celebrated festival is the Russian Winter Festival, held in London every year in January, to mark the New Year according to Russia's pre-1917 calendar. This festival features music and dance performances as well as market stalls, games for children and Russian films.

Monday, August 25 also marks the conclusion of the annual Notting Hill Carnival which is London's largest public event and Europe's largest street festival. The carnival was first started in 1964 by Caribbean immigrants to encourage people, both black and white, to go into the streets and express themselves, socially and artistically. It now attracts 2 million people and is the second largest street festival behind Rio.

Britain hopes that the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will not just celebrate sports, but also cultures, peoples and languages.

By People's Daily Online