Spectacular opening ceremony planned

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 35

Spectacular opening ceremony planned

The opening ceremony of the thirteenth Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh tomorrow morning (New Zealand time) is being rated as one of the biggest television spectaculars ever staged by the 8.8. C. — but what special displays are planned are being kept strictly secret.

More than 500 million television viewers around the world are expected to be linked by satellite with the main Meadowbank Sports Stadium for the two-hour ceremony, although for New Zealand viewers it will mean an early-morning session. The 8.8. C., given the task of sole organiser of the opening ceremony, has had teams stationed at Edinburgh for more than six months involved in planning. The ceremony and the massive sporting coverage of the Games themselves form the biggest outside broad-

cast event yet covered by the 8.8. C. At least 2500 athletes and officials from Commonwealth countries will participate in the opening ceremony march past.

There will also be 1000 Scottish pipers, 6500 children and 500 Scottish country dancers in the sports arena.

More than that about the opening ceremony, 8.8. C. officials are not prepared to divulge. The public will just have to wait and see on the day, they say.

The official opening of the Games will be performed as usual by the Duke of Edinburgh, fresh from his son’s wedding in Westminster Abbey today. The Duke will read aloud the traditional message of greeting to the Commonwealth from Queen Elizabeth, which will have been carried in relay by the youth of Scotland from London. Its route has been through

England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands before the message reached the Scottish Border at Coldstream on July 15. From there until its arrival in Edinburgh today the message has been carried by more than 1800 young Scots over 1200 kilometres of highland and lowland and through 50 towns and cities. Like the Games themselves, the carriage of the message is, for the first time, a sponsored event. Britain’s Royal Mail is providing £150,000 ($NZ400,000) worth of support for the relay. The Queen will officially close the Games on Saturday, August 2, after the final track event, the men’s 400 metre relay. • Although the closing ceremony is expected to be less spectacular than the opening of the Games, it should be of even greater significance to New Zealand. Among the Queen’s final words to the athletes and athletic officials of the Commonwealth, will be an urging to meet again in four years when the XIV Commonwealth Games will be held in Auckland.

ROBIN CHARTERIS

From

in London.