I had a chance to go and watch the rehearsal of the opening ceremony last Saturday, the content of which I was under an oath not to divulge.

But one thing I could share was my wonder at the young volunteers at the National Stadium. Besides leading the way and helping out with whatever questions the viewers had, they turned the otherwise idle spectators into a part of the Games opening, even though it was just a rehearsal.

They were natural stars also, however tiny they might be, as they waved flashlights during the show, augmenting the aura.

They were good leaders, guiding the audience members in successions of waves; and they were patient teachers, coaching the viewers on some effective ways to cheer the world's athletes in unison.

The young volunteers working in the National Stadium are only a small part of the huge army of enthusiastic young people at different jobs, even though they may not work at the Olympics venues and wear the volunteers' blue T-shirt. They are the young Olympians, even though they may not compete in track and other field events.

One of them is Yue Shuang, a young woman working with the Capital Museum. Though Saturday is her routine day-off, she went to work last Saturday to help out as chief of the guides.

Fireworks explode over the National Stadium, better know as the Bird's Nest (R) and the National Aquatics Center (L) during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on the Olympic Green in Beijing on August 8, 2008. [Agencies]

Despite much preparation, she and her colleagues were still pleasantly surprised that thousands of visitors arrived at the museum on Saturday morning to see the Chinese Memory - Treasures of 5,000 Years of Civilization. The crowds were much larger than they'd expected.

Waiting for an hour or more, viewers patiently queued up to enter the special exhibition. Once they were in, they lingered on, examining each of the rare artifacts. Dating back between 8,000 years and a couple of centuries ago, the ancient instruments, ceremonial bronze statues and containers, silk robes or jade garments and others silently showcase the Chinese civilization that has continued without interruption for thousands of years.

But Yue and her colleagues were tolerant, permitting the viewers photograph the artifacts. They admonished only those who used flashlights or who tried to take photos of a few ancient silk garments, which could cause cameras to automatically turn on the flashlight.

They did their job efficiently to manage the crowd that was surely bigger than they'd ever seen since the museum opened a few years ago.

Working overtime is a matter of routine these days among the young people in various posts, many of them with the strong belief that they are contributing their time and efforts to make the Beijing Olympics a success.

Some, including foreign university students who are here for the Games as volunteers, have expressed some disbelief at the seriousness and enthusiasm with which these young Chinese do their jobs. A few have made guesses, attributing it to some ideological "mentality" - as suggested in a few blogs.

I think those few who made such remarks forget that the Beijing Olympics is a gathering of the best athletes who are striving to be faster, higher and stronger. They are not only there as individuals but also as members of their teams - naturally the group - competing for the glory of the countries they represent, whether these are in Europe, North America or Africa.

Meanwhile, the Games also offers a chance to spread the ideas of cross-cultural communication and understanding, peace and harmony.

The passion and the seriousness of the Chinese youths working for the Olympic Games or at other posts is one thing that has been shared universally at the Olympiad in Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sidney and Athens.

It is really a time for celebration and joy, and not for a Cold War.

E-mail: lixing@chinadaily.com.cn