Olympics Ceremonies
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Olympic Ceremonies
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Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies are known for their spectacle. The Olympic Opening Ceremony is a chance for the host nation to share its culture and history with the world through a blend of art, music, movement, and technology.
In many ways, Olympic ceremonies are as competitive as athletic events, with each host country hoping to put forward an extravaganza that captures the world's attention. Who wins this informal artistic competition? We do because we get to watch and enjoy each one.
The Opening Ceremony is the formal start of the Olympic Games. The ceremony includes a parade where athletes from each of the competing nations across the globe enter the stadium, waving their national flags and cheering to the audience.
At each Olympic Games, Greece always enters first during the Parade of Nations to show respect to the history and site of the first Olympics in ancient times. The second to last spot in the proceedings is held by the next nation to host the Olympic Games. The current host nation enters last to close the Parade of Nations.
The 2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony was designed by legendary Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, known for his stunningly beautiful cinematography and color. It lasted approximately 100 minutes and featured 3,000 actors.
The 2022 Tokyo Opening Ceremony was formally opened by Emperor Naruhito and marked the 125th anniversary of the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens — the inaugural edition of the modern Olympic Games.
South Korea’s 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony featured a dazzling display of augmented reality and 5G technology. South Korean Olympic figure skating champion Yuna Kim lit the Olympic cauldron.
The 2016 Rio Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony showcased Brazil’s culture and history and was praised for its diverse performances and dedication to environmental conservation and climate change.
The Closing Ceremony is the formal end of the Olympic Games. It includes speeches, the parade of athletes, and the handover of the Olympic flag to the following host country. It's a chance for the host country to end the games with a bang while allowing the next game's host to introduce itself to the world.
The 2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony was designed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who also designed the 2022 Beijing Opening Ceremony. The proceedings showcased the culture and history of the current and next host nation, Italy.
The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony, which was postponed for one year and held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, held the themes of Moving Forward and Worlds We Share.
South Korean pop groups 2NE1 and EXO performed live, and Beijing presented “See You in Beijing.”
The 2016 Tokyo Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony featured interpretive dancers representing various landmarks in Brazil with music from the Brazilian group Barbatuques, singing "Beautiful Creatures."
The Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony took place Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the Beijing National Stadium.
The Beijing Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony took place on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, at the Beijing National Stadium.
Legendary artistic gymnast Li Ning lit the cauldron at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics mascot was Bing Dwen Dwen, a panda wearing a suit of ice.
Paris, France is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
The Paris Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, July 26, 2024.
The Paris Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony will take place on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024.
The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics mascot has not been chosen yet and will be revealed in late 2022.
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