Stars like Zhang Ziyi and Michael Phelps are spearheading a movement to popularize the Special Olympics. Now this whirlpool of enthusiasm is trickling down to all walks of Chinese life.

By the end of March, nearly 30,000 individuals in Shanghai, which will host the event this summer, had signed up to serve as volunteers.

Meanwhile, local university and college students will receive special training about the Special Olympics and athletes' disabilities to be of more use during the event.

And with a number of celebrities using their star power to promote it, word is spreading quickly.

Zhang, known for her starring roles in Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has signed up as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador.

In her new role, Zhang pledged to spread the organization's message of inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities to an international audience.

"As a global ambassador, I am committed to helping the Special Olympics transform attitudes and dispel negative stereotypes on a global level," she said. "I hope to help people understand that we need to celebrate and appreciate differences. We all have worth, we all have value, and we're all better off when we help each other out."

Earlier this year, event spokesman and world record hurdler Liu Xiang donated a Shimao Group apartment in Harbin valued at 800,000 yuan ($103,000) to the event. Liu was given the gift after winning the "Most Valuable Athlete" award during the 2006 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.

"I have met many Special Olympics athletes before and I was deeply touched by their courage to overcome barriers and their desire to challenge themselves. Through sports they have developed their potential and fulfilled their dreams," he said.

On a corporate level, the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games has won support from China Construction Bank and its strategic partner, Bank of America Foundation, as well as from other major players in the industry.

Coca Cola, adidas and Oishi have developed their own Rainbow souvenirs, which are designed to raise funds for the Special Olympics.