The Beijing Winter Olympic Games have formally opened at a dazzling ceremony in the Chinese capital
Chinese President Xi Jinping has formally opened the 2022 Winter Olympic Games at a grandiose ceremony in Beijing attended by world leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The opening ceremony at Beijing’s National Stadium – known as the Bird’s Nest for its distinctive design – drew on themes of “peace” and “a brighter future” as President Xi officially opened the 24th edition of the Winter Games.
Beijing is the first city ever to host both the summer and winter versions of the Olympics, having held the former back in 2008.
On that occasion China dazzled the world with a spellbinding opening ceremony which showcased its increasing confidence and influence.
Friday’s show in Beijing was pared back due to the shadow of Covid and took place in frigid conditions, but was nonetheless impressive in its visual brilliance.
The ceremony centered on the Beijing Games’ slogan of “together for a shared future” and the International Olympic Committee’s updated motto of “faster, higher, stronger – together.”
Directed by the renowned Zhang Yimou, who was also at the helm for the 2008 opening and closing ceremonies, the spectacle featured around 3,000 performers, the vast majority of whom were teenagers.
After dignitaries including Chinese leader Xi and IOC president Thomas Bach had been welcomed to their seats, the start of the ceremony focused on giant digital displays spread across the floor in the center of the stadium in which participants waved giant LED sticks.
An early flurry of fireworks exploded into the Beijing night sky before the Chinese flag was brought into the arena and proudly being hoisted to the strains of the national anthem.
The glittering digital display continued as the ceremony paid tribute to past editions of the Winter Games – including the Russian version in Sochi in 2014 – before the Olympic rings emerged from a block of ice.
A giant, luminous version of Beijing mascot Bing Dwen Dwen also appeared among participants clad in colorful attire.
The athletes themselves soon began to emerge, traditionally led by Greece as the birthplace of the Olympics, and with the procession including the Russian team which is competing under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
Once the athletes had filed into the stadium, the sparkling digital show resumed as a snowflake spread light and warmth across the earth.
President of the Beijing local organizing committee Cai Qi and IOC president Bach gave traditional speeches before Chinese leader Xi formally declared the Games open, sparking move pyrotechnics in the Beijing sky.
The audience watching on featured a host of world leaders and other dignitaries, including Russian President Putin.
Notable absentees were officials from the US, UK, Canada, and others who are staging a diplomatic boycott of the Games in protest at China’s alleged human rights abuses – a move which has been criticized by the hosts as needlessly politicizing the event.
Some events such as the women’s ice hockey tournament got underway earlier this week, although the Games will now begin in earnest.
Almost 3,000 athletes from more than 90 nations will compete for medals across 109 disciplines in the coming days, until the closing ceremony on February 20.
Competitions are being hosted at three locations: Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. Beijing will host the indoor ice competitions and some of the facilities from the 2008 Summer Games will again be used.
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Source: RT