2008 Opening Ceremony:
A spectacular display of light and sound gave an exuberant opening to Summer Games with 204 countries participating in the ceremonial march on 8th August.
The opening ceremony at Bird’s Nest in Beijing was a feast to everyone's eyes.
The five Olympic Rings were lifted by flying acrobats from the ground, blowing the whistle for the Ceremony.
It was an entertaining show of colour and splendour — a rare treat meant to floor the world-wide television audience — to mark the beginning of the 29th Olympic Games here.
Beijing Opening Ceremony offered the same mix of light and shade shows, but with an effort to improving upon the faults of earlier versions.
The performers played steps in perfect harmony to the beat of the drums and attractive music, including Western and Chinese. China was in a sense showcasing the essence of its civilization, which is supposed to be 5000 years old.
Smog was a concern for many an athlete and spectator in the run up to this Olympics. However, children painted blue skies and white clouds in the center court just to make the older generation nostalgic about clear skies in yesteryears.
Athletes of Greece, the country in which Olympics originated, entered the stadium first followed by all countries participating in the Games. China, the host country, was the the last to enter the stadium.
Star basketballer Yao Ming, carried the flag for China, while Roder Federer carried the flag for Switzerland. The march of athletes lasted for two hours.
Table tennis star Zhang Yining took the oath of honour on behalf of the participants of the Games.
While 91,000 spectators witnessed the opening ceremony on the spot in Bird's Nest, many millions watched it on television.
Receiving the Head of State of the Host Country
The Head of State of the host country is received at the entrance of the stadium by the President of the IOC and by the President of the Organising Committee (OCOG).
The parade of the participants
The parade of the participants then follows. Each delegation must be preceded by a nameboard bearing its name and must be accompanied by its flag. The delegations parade in alphabetical order according to the language of the host country, except for Greece, which leads the parade, and for the host country, which brings up the rear.
The speech by the President of the Organising Committee
The President of the OCOG gives an address, then adds these words: "I have the honour of inviting ...,
President of the International Olympic Committee, to speak."
The speech by the IOC President
The President of the IOC then gives a speech which he ends with,
"I have the honour of inviting ... (the Head of State) to proclaim open the Games of the… Olympiad of the modern era."
The Head of State declares the Games open
The Head of State proclaims the Games open by saying: "I declare open the Games of ... (name of City) celebrating the ... Olympiad of the modern era."
The playing of the Olympic Anthem and the entry and raising of the Olympic Flag
While the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic flag, unfurled horizontally, is brought into the stadium and hoisted on the flagpole erected in the arena.
The last stage of the Olympic Torch relay and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron
The Olympic torch is brought into the stadium by runners relaying each other. The last runner lights the Olympic cauldron. The Olympic Flame shall not be extinguished until the closing of the Olympic Games.
The symbolic release of the pigeons
The taking of the oath by a competitor
The flag bearers of all the delegations form a semicircle around the rostrum. A competitor of the host country mounts the rostrum. Holding a corner of the Olympic flag in his left hand, and raising his right hand, he takes the following solemn oath: "In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams".
The taking of the oath by a judge
Immediately afterwards, a judge from the host country mounts the rostrum and, in the same manner, takes the following oath: "In the name of all the judges and officials, I promise that we shall officiate in these Olympic Games with complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship."
The national anthem of the host country
The national anthem of the host country is then played.
The artistic programme
This is followed by the artistic programme designed and developed by the organising committee for the opening ceremony.
