AYLİN ÖNEY TAN
Where is the baguette?
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games 2024 was surely revolutionary, and very controversial for many. Some hated it, some loved it, there were high and rather low times, but it was definitely all about revolution, the theme strongly stressing its three principles “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” and adding more to it such as “sportivité” but above all especially making “diversité” the fourth element of the motto of the French rebellion. The ceremony was a definite revolution, just for the sole reason that it was the first-ever ceremony held outside a stadium. The 6-kilometer band of Seine was the stage, and so were all the bridges crossing the river and monumental buildings flanking riverbanks. The teams paraded in a flotilla of boats, but unfortunately, they remained the least interesting part of the spectacle, some criticized the opening ceremony without the Olympics and athletes in it. Nevertheless, it was new, it was first-of-a-kind, no doubt about it. In a way, the French manifested to the world that if there is a new revolution to be made, it will be French encore!
July 29 2024
