2008 drummers pounding traditional drums led a unique countdown to a lavish Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad before 91,000 spectators in Beijing.
IOC President Jacques Rogge was joined by IOC Honourary President Juan Antonio Samaranch, Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and over 100 Heads of State, including U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The opening ceremony, with 15,000 cast members under the direction of Zhang Yimou, incorporated over 5,000 years of Chinese history — featuring everything from the Great Wall of China to opera puppets and astronauts, while celebrating Chinese achievements in arts, music and science - centering on revolutionary Chinese inventions of gun powder, papermaking, printing and the compass.
Traditional landscape paintings were projected onto a huge scroll and actors spelt out Chinese characters with their twisting bodies, uniquely commemorating papermaking. A series of giant grey boxes surged out from the ground depicting printing blocks from Ancient China before morphing into the Great Wall. A traditional Chinese opera scene featuring portrayals of Terracotta soldiers preceded a large group of blue-robed oarsmen with giant paddles, depicting the Silk Road that linked China to the West.
Athletes from a record 204 National Olympic Committees paraded into the National "Bird Nest" Stadium — including basketball superstars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, tennis champions Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Venus and Serena Williams. Athletes from Iraq, Afghanistan and other battle-stricken lands marched in as well.
The Greek delegation led the Athletes' Parade, in honour of the origin and birthplace of the Olympic Games. All other nations followed, marching in the alphabetical order of the host nation's language. Interestingly, the marching order in Beijing was based on the number of strokes it takes to write the nation's name in Chinese. The 639-member Chinese team, as host country, entered the stadium last, led by China’s own NBA basketball superstar Yao Ming carrying the Chinese flag. He was accompanied by a young boy less than half his size who survived the devastating earthquake that killed over 70,000 in the southwest region of the country in May.
 |
 |
IOC President Jacques Rogge called upon the athletes to “make us proud of your achievements and your conduct” and “to compete in the spirit of Olympic values - excellence, friendship and respect" – reminding them that they are role models for the youth of the world. He then invited the President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao to officially open the Games of the XXIX Olympiad of the modern era.
| More PRESS |
|
