With the opening ceremony held this Friday night in China, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics began.
Thus ended a process of preparing an edition of the winter Olympics crossed by the covid pandemic and by strong criticism about respect for human rights in China, a fact that led many countries to boycott.
The ceremony kicked off as expected on the first day of spring, according to the Chinese calendar: dancers waving bright green stems to show the vitality of the season, and then a display of white and green fireworks spelling out the word “ spring”.
Laser games and drones were not lacking, a demonstration of the powerful Chinese technology and advances in the matter. Images from each of the more than 20 previous Winter Olympics were reflected in the Beijing sky.
Then it was the turn of the classic passage of each of the nations: 91 delegations preceded by women carrying signs in the form of snowflakes.
Greece, as usual, led the parade. The nations that followed did so according to the Chinese alphabet: Turkey was second and then Malta. The Chinese delegation was the last to pass. The Mexican delegation passed in 83rd place.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, was the most relevant foreign leader present at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, although the athletes of his country did not carry the flag due to doping sanctions, in the same way that It had happened in 2021 at the Tokyo Games.
The opening ceremony began after President Xi Jinping and the head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, arrived at the iconic “Bird’s Nest” stadium.
The Beijing Winter Olympics has officially started, with today’s opening ceremony. It’s all happening at the Bird’s Nest, where the opening ceremony for the 2008 Games took place. Team Canada was led by flag bearers @pou29 & @Speedskater01. Canada has 215 athletes competing. pic.twitter.com/j4XtVM0DLm
— CTV Your Morning (@YourMorning) February 4, 2022
The event had three thousand artists on a stage of more than 11 thousand square meters surrounded by a high definition LED screen that served as an ice surface.
The temperature around the state at the time of the opening ceremony: 4 degrees below zero.
Thanks so much, @anniechiu520 for sending me the photos taken on the site of the grand opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games! Warmest congratulations to a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic event in Dual Olympic City in history! pic.twitter.com/myitgc3x1k
— Zhang Heqing 张和清 (@zhang_heqing) February 4, 2022
The opening ceremony of the #Beijing2022 Winter Olympic Games represents the official start of the Olympic Games. Through music, dance and fireworks, the ceremony invites people to discover the culture of the country in which the Games are taking place.
(📸 CFP Images) pic.twitter.com/F6FegFKIST
— CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) February 4, 2022
In the last 7 days, searches in Mexico linked to the opening ceremony have increased significantly.
The most searched: “Olympic Games opening hours.”