1996 Summer Olympics opening ceremony 1996 Summer Olympics opening ceremony The opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics took place in the evening on Friday 19 July in the Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, United States. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal and ceremonial opening of this international sporting event, including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation’s culture and history. The Olympic cauldron was lit by former gold medalist and boxing champion Muhammad Ali. The ceremony features Award-winning and Grammy Award-time nominated film composer, John Williams, French
2014 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony the honor of lighting the Paralympic torch. The opening ceremony ended with a video that spoke out against discrimination. 2014 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony The opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympics took place at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia, on 7 March 2014. It began at 20:14 MSK () to match the time to the year. The opening ceremony was titled "Breaking the Ice" and centered on breaking down barriers and celebrating Russian culture. It opened with a rhythmic dance featuring 126 performers dressed in the colors of the Russian flag. Russian dance and music were featured