A total of 194 students from 54 countries and regions registered to work for the Games for free during a mobilization campaign in Beijing on November 16.

Chen Lianying (R), the China Radio International achor with Swahili, was called on to provide translation services last week when Olympic marathon runner John Stephen Akhwari (L) of Tanzania visited Beijing.  [China Daily]

So far, about 1,150 volunteers covering some 30 languages have been recruited. Most of them come from Beijing Foreign Studies University.

"For the next step, we will seek the help of our overseas embassies," said Ding Xiang, deputy chief of the language services division. "We are confident we will be able to find enough people to meet our needs."

Recruitment is expected to conclude before next month's Spring Festival, which begins on February 6.

Multi-language switchboard

Meanwhile, 150 interpreters covering 40 languages are being recruited to operate a 24-hour call center during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will launch with the official opening of the Olympic Village in July 20.

"We hope the switchboard will be kept alive after the Games to contribute to the internationalization of Beijing," said Ding.

Previous Olympic host cities Athens and Sydney operated similar multi-language systems.