Opening Ceremony
Borrowing from the ancient past, at the opening ceremonies Olympic officials announce the start of a sacred period—a time to cherish humanity and celebrate the accomplishments of the human spirit.
What is the opening ceremony?
The opening ceremonies represent the official commencement of a celebration of the Olympic Games. In recent Olympics though, athletic competition has begun prior to the opening ceremonies. Due to the large field of football teams at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the football competitions for both men and women began two days prior (August 6) to the opening ceremonies. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the Opening Ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. Most of these rituals were canonized at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.
Coubertin's initial vision of the Modern Olympics featured both athletic competitions and artistic achievements. As the modern Olympics have evolved into a celebration of sport, it is in the opening ceremonies that one can see the most of Coubertin's ideal.
Coubertin's initial vision of the Modern Olympics featured both athletic competitions and artistic achievements. As the modern Olympics have evolved into a celebration of sport, it is in the opening ceremonies that one can see the most of Coubertin's ideal.
What need to do first?
After the countdown, an announcer is recalls the dates and locations of previous Winter Olympic games, if it's the Winter Games. The delegations, the CEO of the organizing committee, and the IOC president comes. Then, soldiers or local peoples carry the host country's flag. The flag is then raised performance of its national anthem.
What follows the flag raising?
After the host country's flag raising, the host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture, history, and the current Olympic game motto. Since the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, the artistic presentations have continued to grow in scale and complexity. The opening ceremony at the Beijing Games, for example, reportedly cost US$100 million, with much of the cost incurred in the artistic portion of the ceremony.
Following this is the "Parade of Nations", which, if it's Winter Games, occurs before artistic section, plus a short cultural section preceding it.
Following this is the "Parade of Nations", which, if it's Winter Games, occurs before artistic section, plus a short cultural section preceding it.
What is the "Parade of Nations?"
It is an event in which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. It is not compulsory for athletes to participate in the opening ceremonies. Due to the proximity of the ceremonies to the first events of the Games, many athletes competing in these early events elect not to participate. Each country's delegation is led by a sign with the name of their country and by their nation's flag.
Is Greece always enter first in that parade?
Yes, it does. Greece is always called first, due to its status as being the founder of the ancient precursor to the modern Olympic Games. In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the Greek flag led the parade, while the Greek team marched in last, as the host nation.
What about the team of the host nation?
Traditionally, as beginning from it's very first modern Olympics, the national team of the host nation marches last.
How about the other nations during the parade?
All other participating teams march in alphabetical order. They march after Greece and before the host nation, in order according to a language that the organizing committee for those games selects, which is usually the dominant language in the area of the host city. Announcers announce each country's name in French and English, as they both are the official languages of the Olympics, and the dominant language of the area of the host city, if neither French and English are the dominant languages.
In the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, both Spanish and Catalan were official languages of the games, but due to the political sensitivity surrounding the use of Catalan, the nations entered in French alphabetical order. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, teams were ordered by the number of strokes in the Chinese translation of the team name. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, teams entered in English alphabetical order, although the languages of the Olympics are also the languages of the host country, Canada, because English is the more dominant of the two in Vancouver and in the host province of British Columbia.
In the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, both Spanish and Catalan were official languages of the games, but due to the political sensitivity surrounding the use of Catalan, the nations entered in French alphabetical order. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, teams were ordered by the number of strokes in the Chinese translation of the team name. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, teams entered in English alphabetical order, although the languages of the Olympics are also the languages of the host country, Canada, because English is the more dominant of the two in Vancouver and in the host province of British Columbia.
Is the ceremony plays song?
Yes, if necessary. The song can be played after the Parade of Nations. This only occurs at the Winter Games, however.
What's next?
Once all nations have entered, the president of the Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president. At the end of his speech, he introduces the representative of the host country who officially declares the opening of the Games. Despite the Games having been awarded to a particular city and not to the country in general, the Olympic Charter presently requires the opener to be the host country's head of state. However, there have been many cases where someone other than the host country's head of state opened the Games. The first example was at the Games of the II Olympiad in Paris in 1900, which had no opening ceremony. There are five examples from the United States alone in which the Games were not opened by the head of state.
What must to do if there are new athletes?
The President of IOC usually do one of the following:
- From Antwerp Olympics until 1964 Winter Olympics, the IOC president says who is the new athlete. All athletes that made their debuts is then says the full name, and list it on the list board. This occurs after the Parade of nations.
- From 1964 Summer Olympics until 1988 Summer Olympics, the IOC president calls the new athletes, and the debutantes are assemble in a row. The IOC president is then go to meet a debutant and shake hands with him/her. The IOC president is then tell about the debutante's full name, home city, hobby, sport likes, and previous multi-sport event appearances. Once he finishes greet to the debutantes, the IOC president will say, "For all the debutantes that will compete beginning with the [ordinal number of the Olympiad] Olympiad and the next Olympiads, I would like to say, be a champion in this Olympiad", or "Well, for all of you debutantes, you will compete at the Olympic Games starting with the celebrating the [ordinal number of Winter Olympics] Olympic Winter Games." (While Juan Antonio Samaranch was the IOC president, he will add "and I do hope you will made this Olympics as the best Olympics ever.") The IOC president is then say "Good luck!". Again, this occurs after the Parade of nations.
- Starting with the 1992 Winter Olympics, the IOC president anncounced the name of the debutants, before declaration open of the Games. The IOC show the list of the new athletes on screen.
What's following the speech of the IOC president?
The head state of the host nation is then officially declares the Games open. The Olympic Charter provides that the person designated to open the Games should do so by reciting whichever of the following lines is appropriate:
- If at the Games of the Olympiad: I declare open the Games of [name of the host city] celebrating the [ordinal number of the Olympiad] Olympiad of the modern era.
- If at the Winter Games: I declare open the Games of [name of the host city] celebrating the [ordinal number of Winter Olympics] Olympic Winter Games.
- In 1976, Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, opened the Montreal Olympics (first in French followed by the English) with:
- In 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan opened the Los Angeles Summer Olympics with:
- In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush opened the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City with:
What's important event after the Games declared open?
The important event after the Games declared open is to raise the Olympic flag. A song preceding this event may be played, if necessary.
How can the Olympic flag can be raised?
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The Olympic flag is carried horizontally (since the 1960 Summer Olympics) into the stadium, by athletes, or anyone else, dressed in white. They carry the flag until they reach the soldiers, armies, or those who always raise the host nation's flag.
Once the carrier of the Olympic flag reaches the soldiers, they pass the flag to them, before leaving them. The soldiers carry the flag into flagpole position, and an announcer tells the attendants to stand when the Olympic flag is raised. The flag is then hoisted, as the Olympic Hymn is played. However, in several cases, the athletes themselves raised the Olympic flag. The Olympic Charter states that the Olympic flag must "fly for the entire duration of the Olympic Games from a flagpole placed in a prominent position in the main stadium".
Once the carrier of the Olympic flag reaches the soldiers, they pass the flag to them, before leaving them. The soldiers carry the flag into flagpole position, and an announcer tells the attendants to stand when the Olympic flag is raised. The flag is then hoisted, as the Olympic Hymn is played. However, in several cases, the athletes themselves raised the Olympic flag. The Olympic Charter states that the Olympic flag must "fly for the entire duration of the Olympic Games from a flagpole placed in a prominent position in the main stadium".
What's following this?
The flag bearers of all countries then circle a rostrum, where one athlete (since the 1920 Summer Olympics) and one judge (since the 1972 Summer Olympics) speak the Olympic Oath, declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules of their respective sport. If neccesary, the final song may be performed after the oath. Finally, the Torch is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier; often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron.Under IOC rules, the lighting of the Olympic cauldron must be witnessed by those attending the opening ceremony, implying that it must be lit at the location where the ceremony is taking place. Although another IOC rule states that the cauldron should be witnessed outside by the entire residents of the entire host city. This was made evident during the opening ceremony for the 2010 Games, which were the first to be held indoors.
Was the pigeons, doves and other birds have to be flown until 1988?
Yes, they did. From 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was followed by the release of doves, symbolizing peace. This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics. It was later replaced with a symbolic release of doves after the flame has been lit.