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
2006 Asian Games opening ceremony 2006 Asian Games opening ceremony The 2006 Asian Games Opening Ceremony was held in Doha, Qatar on 1 December 2006 to mark the start of the 15th Asian Games. The ceremony took place in the multi-purpose Khalifa International Stadium, which was specifically renovated for the Asian Games. The ceremony was attended by over 50,000 spectators, as well as approximately 20,000 athletes and performers. Several Asian heads-of-state and the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge were in attendance. The officials and organizers of the ceremony promised it to be the most spectacular opening ceremony in recent years. The Opening