As an important component of the fourth "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival, the fourth International Forum on Beijing Olympic Games was opened on Sunday.

Cai Fuchao(R) member of the standing committee and director of the publicity department of CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and other dignitaries attend the opening ceremony.[BOCOG]

Themed "Olympic cultural creative industry and the urban development", the forum features over 30 experts and scholars including British economist John Hawkins and International Olympic Committee member Chang Ung, who will deal with such topics as "the cultural creative industry under the background of the Olympic Games", "the Olympics and the urban development", "the multi-development of Olympic culture" and "typical cases of the Olympic cultural creative industry".

Cai Fuchao, member of the standing committee and director of the publicity department of CPC Beijing Municipal Committee told the opening ceremony that the creative industry has become a pillar industry in many countries. The forthcoming Olympic Games provide a good opportunity for Beijing's development and the forum will bring about experiences of other cities and countries.

He hoped that the discussions will focus on Beijing's major industries and development strategies.

The International Forum on Beijing Olympic Games was launched in 2003 as part of the 2008 Olympic Games cultural program. This year's forum was organized by the Committee for "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural Festival, the Cultural and Ceremonies Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), the Humanistic Olympics Center of Renmin University and Haidian district government.