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The Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27 will be a showcase of all that is great about Britain! With the eyes of the entire world on London -- there will be an estimated 4 billion watching worldwide -- the Ceremony, helmed by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, will provide a glimpse into the culture of the Host City and the United Kingdom. The name of the Olympic Opening Ceremony will be "Isles of Wonder" and will kick off to the sound of the largest bell in Europe. The Stadium itself will be transformed into "Green and Pleasant", portraying the beauty of the lush British countryside and will include real farmyard animals. Aiming to celebrate the "exuberant creativity of the British genius", the Opening Ceremony promises to be as unpredictable as the British weather!

 

On August 12, the London Games will close with a celebration of all the achievements of the participating athletes. Prior to the traditional Hand Over of the host city to the next, there will be  a worldwide broadcast titled "A Symphony of British Music" to celebrate Britain’s strong cultural exports over the past 50 years. Working with some of the country’s most globally successful musicians and stars of tomorrow, the London Symphony Orchestra has been appointed to record both the soundtracks for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

 

As a final traditional gesture, the Olympic Flame will be extinguished before London hands over to Rio De Janeiro, host city for the 2016 Games.

 

All in all, over 15,000 performers will take part in both the Opening and Closing ceremonies, with iconic '60s rock group The Who and '80s pop legend George Michael both making live performances, while supermodels Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are apparently set to fly the flag for British fashion.

 

A "spectacular finale" is promised for the end of the 2012 London Games, and we all know after watching the spectacular Jubilee celebrations earlier this month, that there is one thing that Great Britain that knows better than anyone else what to do and that’s celebrate as a nation!

 

 

- Anysha Panesar, YH Staff