The grand opening ceremony of the summer’s biggest international sporting event ATHENS 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games is taking place tomorrow.
The heart of the world will beat at the Panathenaic Stadium where Greek President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias will officially declare the opening of the Games.
Fokas Evangelinos and his creative team was awarded the main concept of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Fokas Evangelinos’ creative team consists of the composer Stefanos Korkolis, production designer Ilias Ledakis, costume designer Elli Papageorgakopoulou and copyrighter Theodore Grigoriadis. Furthermore, production consultants for the Ceremonies are Simon Graveling and Andrew Walsh, whose experience creating many of the world's most memorable events includes the 2004 Olympic Games here in Athens.
Music legend Stevie Wonder and his band will be in charge of the music at the opening ceremony. As part of the opening celebrations, Italian Tenor Vittorio Grigolo and Greek and singer Alkistis Protopsalti will perform a song specially written for the Athens Games by composer Stefanos Korkolis. Presenters during the ceremony will be Greek screenwriter and actor Giorgos Kapoutzidis and US celebrity Maria Menounos.
7,500 athletes from 185 countries will march through the stadium, shouting to the whole world: Let me win! But if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.
The head of the Special Olympics organising committee Despotopoulou noted that both the opening and closing ceremonies had been designed "with a sense of moderation" and that they were the only events during the Special Olympics where one needed a ticket to attend, inviting all to attend and contribute to the Special Olympics movement.
The Games will last until July 4.
More information: www.athens2011.org
The Opening Ceremony starts at 8.30 p.m. local time and you can watch it live on ERT and ERTworld and at www.ert.gr
