On August 17 2008, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov visited the Bulgarian camp in the Olympic village in Beijing, which accommodates all 72 Bulgarian athletes taking part in the 2008 Olympic Games, the press service of the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

At the Olympic village, Purvanov was met by the heads of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) and the State Agency for Youth and Sports Stefka Kostadinova and Vessela Lecheva, respectively, among other officials.

Purvanov wished Bulgaria's athletes more courage, success and winning new medals for Bulgaria. He gave the Bulgarian sports delegation an icon of Saint Yoan Rilski Choudotvorets and signed the Wall for Peace and Friendship, where all heads of state and high ranking guests of the Olympics put their signatures.

Later, Purvanov spoke to president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge, who accepted his invitation to visit Bulgaria in the autumn for the celebrations of BOC's 85th anniversary. The two also discussed Bulgaria's intention to bid for host of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games. The host country will be chosen in 2011. During the talks, Rogge sent his greetings to Bulgarian athletes, wishing them success and many medals.  

On the evening of August 17, the Bulgarian embassy in Beijing hosted a reception on the occasion of the day of Bulgaria at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. The reception was given by Stefka Kostadinova and was attended by Purvanov, Lecheva, other Bulgarian officials as well as many foreign guests, among which FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter, as well as Chinese officials.

The Bulgarian athletes at the Olympics, the accredited Bulgarian journalists and many Bulgarians living in China were also in attendance.

Purvanov greeted women's single sculls rowing Olympic champion Roumyana Neikova and women's freestyle 72kg wrestling silver medal winner Stanka Zlateva, who earned her medal only hours before the reception. The President talked to all Bulgarian athletes and paid special attention to the girls from Bulgaria's rhythmic gymnastics ensemble, whose participation in the Olympics is forthcoming.