An opening ceremony is the official opening of a building or event. The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are huge events involving thousands of participants and watched by a massive worldwide audience. On a much smaller scale, some ceremonies mark the opening of a small building such as a shop and are only attended by relatives or friends. Many public buildings, especially schools and libraries, are opened by a special guest.
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It was began at 20:00 China Standard Time (UTC+8) on Friday, 8 August 2008, as the number 8 is considered to be auspicious. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture. The artistic part of the ceremony comprised two parts titled "Brilliant Civilization" and "Glorious Era" respectively. The first part highlighted the Chinese civilization and the second part exhibited modern China and its dream of harmony between the people of the world. The stadium was full to its 91,000 capacity according to organizers.
The ceremony was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who was the chief director and was assisted by Chinese choreographers Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya. The director of music for the ceremony was composer Chen Qigang. It was noted for its focus on ancient Chinese culture, and for its creativity, as well as being the first to use weather modification technology to prevent rainfall. The final ascent to the torch featured Olympic gymnast Li Ning, who appeared to run through air around the membrane of the stadium. Featuring 15,000 performers, the ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over US$100 million to produce. The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as spectacular and spellbinding and by many accounts "the greatest ever".
That’s the purpose of The FarmhouseCollective, BeverlyBailey said at an opening ceremony on the Collective’s concert stage after the gates opened at 10 a.m.
A choir opened the ceremony by singing “We Are the Champions” and a brass band closed it playing “They Not Like Us.” Inside the ring box a video plays highlights of the team's championship run.
A choir opened the ceremony by singing “We Are the Champions” and a brass band closed it playing “They Not Like Us.” Inside the ring box a video plays highlights of the team's championship run.
A ceremony to announce the new Syrian government began Saturday with PresidentAhmad al-Sharaa vowing the government would seek to rebuild state institutions based on accountability and transparency.
A ceremony to announce the new Syrian government began Saturday with PresidentAhmad al-Sharaa vowing the government would seek to rebuild state institutions based on accountability and transparency.
This was not merely a closing ceremony—it was the coronation of a new age of sports in Nigeria’s southwest ... The air quivered with spectator anticipation as he declared the closing ceremony open.
She didn’t win ... That win opened the door to the Rafael NadalAcademy ... The guest speaker at the ceremony? Iga Swiatek. Which brings us to last week’s MiamiOpen ... Alex is set to enter the 2025 Grand Slam main draws — starting with the French Open in May.
Its chief executive Michael Intrator rang the opening bell at the exchange ... But it is helping with publicity by making promotional videos and holding opening ceremonies that businesses can live-stream.
(Also Read. Shah Rukh Khan’s respectful gesture during National Anthem at IPL 2025 opening ceremony wins hearts. Watch... He just told me one thing ... The film took a bumper opening and emerged as a superhit, ranking among the top-grossing films of the year.
Expands its warehouse. MURFREESBORO, TN – FeedAmerica First marked a major milestone Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house to celebrate the expansion of its warehouse ... and welcomed local officials, community partners and supporters ... ....
The most exciting era for humanoid robots, which is the era of productivity, is about to begin," said Wang He, founder and CTO of Beijing Galbot Co., Ltd., speaking at the opening ceremony.
The naval bilateral exercise 'INDRA' began on Friday in India... The HarbourPhase includes opening ceremony, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, reciprocal visits, sports fixtures, and pre-sail briefings between personnel from both navies ... ....
WWE also revealed that both Bret Hart and Steve Austin will actually be in attendance for the 2025 Hall Of Fame ceremony on Friday night, 18 April. Of course, that event happens just 24 hours out from the opening night of WrestleMania 41 festivities.