United Celebration

Every four years, a night comes along that never fails to make me laugh, cry, feel a bit of pride, perhaps confuses me a bit, and above all, makes me feel included as a global citizen. This magical night happens to fall this evening. It is the night of the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

The "Parade of Nations" is still being shown in my time zone as I write. Over 200 nations will be represented during the 2012 Games. As someone involved in the arts, the Opening Ceremonies are more meaningful to me than the weeks of intense athletic competition which will follow. I am not writing this evening to critique the aesthetics, narrative, performances, or direction of the opening ceremonies. I am simply writing to explain why they mean so much to me.



For a few moments, I always feel that the world is united, that every person is included, and that differences are put aside for celebration. Wow!

This evening in London, all of the countries of The United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) were represented individually, but then were included as parts of a larger whole on a giant stage within the new Olympic Stadium. Many things which are iconically British were also highlighted throughout the evening. Audiences watched as the nations moved from agriculture to industrialization. Many famous people read, sang, played music, and even did a bit of comedy as the ceremonies progressed. Shakespeare, The Beatles, J.K. Rowling, Mary Poppins, James Bond and many, many more were all included in the evening. I'm pretty sure I heard Dr. Who's TARDIS during Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." Even Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II got into the act in a humorous way. Everything from children's literature to popular music and film to the National Health Service to the digital age were brought to life. More importantly, the world was invited to experience these performances and to feel included in the magic and excitement.

This sense of inclusion and feeling of the world being united for a few moments is made possible through visual and performing arts, technology, and design. Every Olympic Opening Ceremony uses the arts to unite the world before the sports begin.

I love that. The arts unite the world... however briefly. (As I said, I'm not critiquing their uses here. That's the work of countless others.) Also, the Opening Ceremonies never fail to prove that the arts can defy language and cultural barriers. The arts unify the Games in another way, too. The Games are one of the few events of which I can think that unite sport, arts, cultures, and nations. Every element and every person is important from the performers, to the athletes, to the global audience.

I just had to take a few moments to celebrate these ideas of unity, inclusion, and the fact that the arts are an essential part of it all.

If only we could find ways to capture this sense of unity and the necessity of the arts every day. (I am a hopeless optimist, you know.) At least we get to experience something so wondrous every four years.

If you missed the magic, here are a couple of sources to help you locate some video replays: BBC and NBC.

Until Next Time...
Ro Huizinga

This is one of those posts for which I feel the need to add a disclaimer. I have no connection to the Olympic Games or anyone involved with the Opening Ceremonies. I also have no connection the many networks and online sources covering the Games. I'm just a fan like so many others voicing my own opinion about an aspect of this quadrennial event.