2011 Asian Winter Games opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2011 Asian Winter Games was held at the Astana Arena, in Astana, Kazakhstan. It began at 6:00 PM (UTC+06:00) on 30 January 2011 and lasted approximately three hours.

An estimated 30,000 were in attendance at the venue. There were an estimated 700 performers.

A dramatised performance based on traditional Kazakh epic poems accompanied by a group of ethnic drummers, which was followed by a volley of red fireworks began the show.

Members of the Kazakhstan army marched the Kazakh flag to the flagpost. The anthem was then sung by Azamat Zheltyrguzov while the flag was risen.

According to the Olympic Council of Asia's protocols, countries will march in order of their IOC Code. Below is list of countries that are confirmed to compete and their national flagbearers during the ceremony. All the countries were given warm receptions by the crowd, however a deafening welcoming roar was given to the home team.

*During the Opening Ceremony Lebanon was announced to the crowd and a Placard bearer came out, but was followed by no members of the delegation. ** Indonesia had no athletes competing, rather officials participating.

Kazakh opera diva Nurzhamal Usenbaeva then performed a song specially composed for the Games opening an impressive show that involved more than 700 actors and dancers including Belgian singer Lara Fabian singing her new song "Always".

Also included in the cultural show was the history of Kazakhstan, with a bird’s eye view from an eagle swooping over the vast plains. With dance, song and distinctive musical instruments, the props came to life – notably when water cascaded from the top of the set and lighting transformed the stage into a rough sea to rock the boat looking for new lands.

Also, "The gift packs for the visitors inside the 30,000-seat indoor football stadium included a bag of four snowball-size white sponge balls. Taking their lead from a band of tiny-tot performers dressed as flowers towards the end of the cultural show, the audience opened their packet of “snowballs” and proceeded to pelt anyone and everyone in sight"

6 famous athletes and coaches carried the flag. They were:

The athletes and jury pronounced solemn oaths before the banner of the Olympic Council of Asia.

The mayor of Astana Imangali Tasmagambetov gave a speech. "The Asiad is being held by Kazakhstan due to the initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The victory of an athlete is the victory of the country".

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Wikipedia