Thirteen days after the successful closing of the 2008 Olympic Games, yet another large sports event - the 2008 Paralympics, will open in Beijing Saturday.

A gaint rendition of sports shirt now graces the German embassy in Beijing to welcome athletesb to the Paralympics. Called inform, the work was created by Chinese artist Li Jiwei.

Germany, one of the world's most successful nations in sports, has sent a 280-person delegation including 170 athletes, to attend the Paralympics, said Michael Schaefer, German ambassador to China, prior to the opening of the event.

German Federal President Horst Koehler will attend Saturday's opening ceremony, showing "how high he values the Paralympics not only for our society, but also for China and the international community", said the ambassador.

"Although it is younger in history, the Paralympics is as important as the Olympics because handicapped people are as valuable as others in the society," Schaefer added.

However, the handicapped are less visible in the society and have to face many difficulties in life. "Therefore we should do our best to help them overcome the difficulties and integrate them into the society," the ambassador noted.

The target of the Paralympics is not only to display handicapped people's great performance in sports but also to show they are an integral part of society, Schaefer said.

He said for the past years, President Koehler made it an important task to give support to the integration process for handicapped people.

According to Schaefer, Germany is one of the driving forces for the Paralympics.

It was among the first countries to develop the organizations, construct local facilities and help build the international framework for sports for handicapped people.

"This is the reason why the International Paralympics Committee chose Bonn as its headquarters," Schaefer explained.

Schaefer said he is not among the people who count medals but expects the German athletes will perform at their best at the Paralympics in Beijing.

German athletes won a total of 19 gold, 28 silver and 32 bronze medals at previous Paralympic events, ranking eighth among all nations and regions.

The great Olympics

When talking about the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ended two weeks ago, the ambassador said:

"For most spectators and almost all athletes, these were great Games."

He noted that the Beijing Olympic Games have changed the Olympic tradition in many positive ways, considering the high-level competitions in which more than 30 world records were re-written, the new level of sports venues and the dramatic opening ceremony with the highest artistic standards.

"As far as logistics are concerned, Beijing offered the right framework for a successful Games. The facilities and services in the Olympic Village were in many aspects the best ever. The competition venues are excellent, with the Bird's Nest and Water Cube figuring among the most exciting sports facilities in the world," the ambassador said.

"The most positive of all is the hospitality of the local people. The volunteers presented a smiling face of China, making the athletes and spectators feel at home in Beijing," he added.

He said the Games have presented a positive image of Beijing and will eventually contribute to give a different image of China.

In this context, he added, he would have wished to see an even more relaxed reaction towards those who have voiced critical opinions on the Games.

"The effect of the Games has gone far beyond the Games itself. All in all, the Games changed China and China changed the Games," Schaefer noted.

The ambassador said he is satisfied with the performance of the German athletes. The German delegation won 41 medals, including 16 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze, at the Olympics, ranking fifth on the overall tally.

Role models

Schaefer said sports have played an important part in German society where many of the people are sports enthusiasts.

It is reported that more than 27 million people in Germany are actively engaged in various sports in 91,000 clubs.

German athletes such as Michael Ballack, Britta Heidemann and Dirk Nowitzki are well-known internationally.

Schaefer said he is glad to see the excellent performance of the German athletes at the Olympic Games, adding that they are regarded as the role models of society.

"These role models will motivate more young people to be engaged in sports and promote sports as a popular movement," said the ambassador.

Schaefer said the importance of sports in society can never be overestimated.

"Sports bring people together from different parts of society. Sports bring the society into close contact and help people get to know each other," he said.

"In the international arena, big events like the Olympics and Paralympics have a significance going beyond the extent of sports. They help deepen the understanding among nations and various cultures and eventually contribute to the peace development of the world and make the world a global village," Schaefer concluded.