Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony was one of the most eagerly expected and most talked about event of the 28th Olympic Games. Full of symbolism and allegory, it brought together the past, present, future and Hellenic culture and related them to the Olympic ideal and the universal virtues of love for man, for art and hope for the future. The result proved worthy of expectations, since everybody agreed that it was once of the most successful opening ceremonies.
The countdown started from 28 -the number of Olympiads since 1896- and, when it was over, virtual fires engulfed the two screens and then the Kalatrava roof. Then followed the symbolic connection of the modern and the ancient Olympic Games, since before the five cycles were lighted, the spectators watched a virtual journey to the Stadium of Ancient Olympia.
The Greek flag was brought into the stadium by a child on a paper boat, reminding how the image of the Greek spirit was shaped during the 1930s. Then, followed the part of the ceremony that Dimitris Papaioannou, the man who had created it, had called "Allegory", which is essence was a hymn to the greatness of man.
The Aegean with its islands was the reason for the following unit, during which, after a hymn to Love, as the motivating force of humanity, the hourglass gave a 12-minute tour of history to the spectators. Masterpieces of art and culture from the Minoan period to the 20th century paraded in front of the spectators.
A pregnant woman and Love were the leading characters of the next unit of the ceremony, a direct reference to the hope for the future of humanity. Immediately afterwards a rock was formed and an olive tree grew on top of it, one of the strongest symbols of the Olympic Games from Antiquity to the present day. It was time for the performers to leave and the athletes to parade.