They were a little less choreographed, and little more solemn and a lot more nostalgic, but the closing ceremonies in Beijing on August 24 were just as impressive as the opening ceremonies had been 16 days earlier.
Unlike the opening ceremonies which were rehearsed many times, the closing ceremonies did not have a chance for practice because of space limitations as the Bird’s Nest was the scene of competitions until the very last day. However, the artistic team came through with a brilliance that did the host country proud.
The ceremonies began with the dimming of the lights, calling people together to see a video reviewing the exciting and memorable moments during the Games. Two hundred performers danced and beat drums, an instrument which has a distinct and symbolic meaning for the Chinese. Summoned by the drum beat, over 1100 silver bell dancers introduced the amazing performance that was to come.
Culture, colour, lighting displays, and music were once again featured as 90,000 live spectators and millions of television watchers bid farewell to China following one of the most successful Olympics ever. Firecrackers lit up the Beijing skyline and Tiananmen Square as the flame was extinguished for the 29th Olympiad.
The eyes of the world now turn on London, England, which hosts the 2012 Olympics. In a joyous eight-minute ceremony, the Olympic flag was handed over to Mayor Boris Johnson while a symbolic double decker bus accompanied British and LA Galaxy soccer star David Beckham into the Bird’s Nest which had hosted so many events and happy moments during the competitions just ended.
Among the many musical guests, Placido Domingo and local songstress Song Zuying performed for the first-time ever a fusion of Chinese and Western singing, showing how their very different styles could blend into a world-class show of unity. Song and dance dominated the two-hour long extravaganza. Acrobats, singers, and cheerleaders completed a cast of more than 7000 who participated in the gala event.
Human energy was rampant on the field as athletes from 204 countries, many bearing medals won at the Games after years of hard work and sacrifices, surged onto the field, accompanied by proud flag-bearers. President of the Beijing Olympic Committee Liu Qi lauded the efforts of the athletes, who achieved amazing results in breaking 38 world records, as well as meeting many personal goals while showcasing their country’s talent. He went on to say that the world today is in need of mutual understanding and harmonious development and the Beijing Olympic Games is a testimony of the fact that the world had its trust rested upon China. The Games, he added, have seen people united as one Olympic family, regardless of nationalities and ethnic backgrounds and their understanding has been deepened.
The highly-successful and spectacular Olympic Games, which the Chinese government spent $40 billion to host, appear to have the potential to bring positive change to the country and to its portrayal to the world. Hopefully the good will continues as China, often subject to criticism for its human rights issues, continues on its road to fulfilling the Olympic slogan for the games, One World, One Dream even after the flame is snuffed out.
