ABOUT 100,000 ordinary citizens will march in a mass pageant on National Day, which falls on Oct. 1, said a senior official with the event’s organizer yesterday.

The parade will consist of 70 big floats in 36 formations and will march down Chang’an Avenue in downtown Beijing from east to west, said Zhang Ge, an executive director of the mass pageant’s organizing department, at a press conference.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The mass parade will reconstruct the historical process from the PRC’s founding, the implementation of reform and opening-up and advancement of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and up to now as the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, Zhang said.

The mass parade is designed to tell China’s story and express the confidence and trust the Chinese people have in the Party, he said.

Participants will be made up of people from all walks of life, including deliverymen and housewives, he added.

Tian’anmen Square will be richly decorated to echo the festive atmosphere with 70 huge red lanterns hung along the roads on its east and west sides.

“On Oct. 1, 70,000 white doves and 70,000 colorful balloons will be released,” Zhang said.

The country has also recruited more than 160,000 volunteers for the upcoming National Day celebrations, an official said yesterday.

Among the volunteers, over 10,000 will provide direct service for the gathering and grand gala on the National Day, Xiong Zhuo, executive director for volunteer work, said in a group interview.

The majority of those 10,000 volunteers are people born during the 1990s and 2000s, Xiong said, adding that among them are young influential role models.

A series of celebration activities will be held Oct. 1 to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.(Xinhua)