Beijing 2008 Mascots visit London

The Fu Wa ('Friendlies'), the official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, were guests of honour at a reception hosted by London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Mayor Wang of Beijing.

The Mascots will spend the next week visiting schools and community groups, spreading the official Beijing Games message of One World, One Dream.

Today the Fu Wa visited Carpenters Road Primary School in East London on Thursday morning before heading to Chinatown to join the capital's Chinese New Year celebrations.

They will also make a half-time appearance at the London football derby, West Ham vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, 4 March.

London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Sebastian Coe said: "The arrival of the Beijing Games Mascots in the capital is a true Olympic moment.

"The arrival of the Mascots also reminds us that London will follow Beijing as host city for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the world's biggest and most important sporting, cultural and community event."

1 March 2007

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