The Olympics occupies a special place in my heart. That may mark me as an idealist or soft-hearted but I love the idea of global unity. I watched the Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony from the iconic location of The Scoop, the outdoor, sunken amphitheatre next to City Hall in London. It was a crowd of hundreds watching under the gaze of the skyline of the City of London and just across the river from the historic Tower of London and the iconic Tower Bridge.
In contradiction to what seems like a unanimous howl of discontent and negative reviews about the opening ceremony, I just wanted to say that I really liked it. Yes, perhaps to have this view is hokey and overly sentimental. I am aware of the issues plaguing the Olympics like doping and budget blowouts. I can see that the opening ceremony could have been better in parts but really, there was a lot that was spectacular and commendable. It was great! Well done Paris!
It’s so easy to sit on the couch and criticise. Everyone is an armchair expert these days! So let’s not just throw stones! Here are ten aspects that I loved about the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
- What do you want to tell the world? So you have a chance to tell the whole world something! Here is a massive live telecast to all corners of the globe to be watched by millions! What a unparalleled opportunity! What do you say? What should you say, in a time like this, with protracted wars and conflict, the reversal of women’s rights in America, intolerance, discrimination, and climate change. The Paris opening ceremony rightfully chose to come out strongly with themes of unity, diversity, peace and love. What else is there to say? What else do we need in these times? Surely, just about everything can be solved from this starting point.
Most opening ceremonies wow the crowd with mass synchronised, choreographed dancing. I liked that France chose to do the opposite. To show that we don’t all have to be synchronised automatons or lemmings. There is beauty, celebration and power in difference.
During the performances, I considered how some of it must seem from the eyes of conservative households and especially through the eyes of the children and teenagers. Disabled people, LGBTIQA+ people, androgyny, threesomes, transgender people, people of all colours and shapes. It must be confronting to some but if it shows that all kinds of people can thrive, all have value and there is room for everyone, I consider that a good thing.
A favourite moment, rich in symbolism was the touching image of the countries filing and uniting behind the olympic flag and the dove wings of peace illuminated overhead. - France was not 100% nationalistic! The French might have a reputation for being arrogant and proud but they made the right choice in embracing and therefore playing tribute to so many high performers from other nations e.g. Lady Gaga, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Celine Dion, Nadia Comaneci etc. It is a great temptation for the host country to solely focus on their people and to use it as an opportunity to be very nationalistic. I thought it was sweet and wonderful that France was big enough to embrace these amazing people from other nations.
My favourite moments include when the camera panned to Rafael Nadal and there was a warm cheer from the crowd, Serena Williams looking a bit green, unsteady and therefore so relatable on the boat ride down the Seine and Celine Dion being an absolute Queen, closing the ceremony with her powerful vocals and professional performance, honed from decades of practice! - Trying in a small way to right some wrongs. Paris, like most cities has far more statues of prominent men over women. I liked the 10 gold statues of women rising up from the river. These will be donated to the city to slightly tip the scales towards equality. I like the symbolism and also the practicality of making something that can be used for generations after these Olympics are over.
- The acceptance of the old and the new. I like the crazy contrasts of a decapitated Marie Antoinette, a French heavy metal band and opera. Also, the contrast of Aka Nakamura, looking resplendent in gold performing with the straight laced military marching band. Extra bonus points for Aka for choosing not to wear heels and looking strong and warrior-like in more practical golden gladiator-style sandals!
Old and new co-existing, there is value, beauty and strength in both. - The hot air balloon cauldron. This hot air balloon cauldron which rose up more than 60m above the ground and visible from hundreds of metres away is 7m wide and spectacularly lit without fuel. Aside from the touching symbolism of rising hope and it’s environmental credentials, I really like that it can be seen by so many from afar. The general public can also get up close to see it for FREE! How accessible! Usually, the cauldron would be only visible by those privileged enough to afford tickets to the stadium. What an admirable thing to do for the every-person! Well done to the organisers!
- The guts to do something different! I really respect Paris for having the bravery to attempt something completely different. The vision of conceiving an opening ceremony floating down the River Seine and then executing it despite the significant security concerns. Perhaps it’s overly corny of me to see the symbolism in everything but what the world needs now is to execute a different vision, to have and to make happen bold, new ideas for the future.
- The unfortunate rain! The poor organisers! The one thing impossible to control, let down the side. The rain was heavy and unending. That being said, what we got to see was the fortitude of the performers. They danced with vigour despite the high risk of slipping on wet surfaces; they sang out despite being utterly drenched; and they all persevered despite being absolutely sodden. One had to feel for all of them, bedraggled, hair stringy and wet, make-up washed away, telecasted for the whole world to see.
Again with the symbolism for me, the idea that the rain washed away all artifice and revealed the core; their resilience, their perseverance, their professionalism, their talent and their bravery. Bravo! - Making it for the people! I really commend Paris for this. Allowing the general public to watch the ceremony for free from the banks of the Seine. To allow the people close to the Olympic cauldron for free. I applaud their decision to wrest these parts of the Olympics from the privileged few and making it accessible to all!
- The logistics of such an event! It’s easy to pass critical judgement from the sideline but anyone who has tried to organise an event must surely recognise that to pull off something of this magnitude is a massive logistical feat. It wasn’t perfect but it was amazing nevertheless! It was visionary, it was full of potential and it was pioneering! Well done Paris!
- All those amazing volunteers! The Olympics relies on the work of tens of thousands of volunteers. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes! In particular, I was in awe of the gently, smiling volunteer holding the umbrella over Tony Estanguet, the head of the organising committee for the Paris Olympics, during his speech. The speech felt interminably long but she calmly held on to that umbrella. Anyone who has tried to hold their hand outstretched like that will know it gets very tiring quite quickly. She knew the whole world was watching and she showed no sign of discomfort whatsoever! What amazing arm strength!
I have heard many complaints about how long the ceremony was. Yes, there are a lot of countries and it takes ages to get through them all. When I think about the many hours of hard work these athletes have invested to get to an Olympic standard, what is a few hours of watching them have their moment in the limelight. They deserve this moment of respect and celebration for their years of commitment and dedication.
As I sat amongst hundreds of people in the diverse, multicultural heart of London, the vibe was truly special. As the boats carrying athletes from various countries sailed down the Seine, there were happy cheers erupting from various parts of the crowds as people recognised countries they had affiliations to. It was beautiful. It can be safely said that the loudest cheers came from the Spaniards and the Latin Americans! This is what the Olympics is about! Bringing a diverse bunch of people together in peace and unity. Isn’t this what the world so desperately needs today?
In the chorus of so much criticism about this Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony I choose to see how great a job they have done and to celebrate it’s many positive aspects. Bravo Paris!
I guess once every 4 years, during the Olympic opening ceremony, I feel my bitter cynicism at the state of the world drop away. I am inspired to feel a desperate kind of hope for the world.
