Ceremonies With A Conscience?

[baron-pierreIV]

Just as Oscar nominees were announced today, details of reports have been released the appearance of the WE ARE THE WORLD remake (for Haiti) that will be shown on the Opening Ceremony for Vancouver on Feb 12th.

So, will the Vancouver Opening herald a new trend in Olympic Ceremonies in that they could become more relevant to the truer, larger picture happening in the world today? Haiti could've been entirely overlooked in the Ceremonies for Feb 12th especially because the IOC is not obligated to tell anything about Haiti...and also because Haiti is not a participating winter nation. But with all of us becoming a 'global village,' does it behoove the IOC to be more inclusive of its proceedings and include far more than the traditional, 'white,' western nations who will all come to play in the Winter Wonderland of Vancouver & WHistler while a tiny nation some 4,000 miles is still trying to put its heart and soul together??

Discuss!!

[Ikarus360]

As long as they dont bring Yoko Oh No again like 4 years back on that small peace segment in Torino, i will be happy.

Of course, its unlikely they will dedicate all the ceremony to the Haiti tragedy, but they'll probably pick a segment (probably between the protocol part) to make a remembrance about the earthquake as they perform the song. That would be very touching.

[olympian]

As long as they dont bring Yoko Oh No again like 4 years back on that small peace segment in Torino, i will be happy.

Of course, its unlikely they will dedicate all the ceremony to the Haiti tragedy, but they'll probably pick a segment (probably between the protocol part) to make a remembrance about the earthquake as they perform the song. That would be very touching.

let's not forget that the current governor-general was born in haiti.

[Ikarus360]

let's not forget that the current governor-general was born in haiti.

Oh yeah, i forgot about that

Also, like i was saying, i think is a very touching and good detail that they have decided to make a segment dedicated to Haiti on the ceremonies. I'm looking forward to see how this new version of We are the World will sound like.

[IceNarcissus]

If they are planning anything like that with regards to current events I don't know about it, and based on the past I would imagine it would be something very small but significant. Mind you the ceremonies have been created nearly a year ago and practiced for months and months with timed cues down to an art. Also, the Haiti earthquake IS a political topic of contention as far as its response and restructuring influence goes, so anything done would need to be kept to a bare minimum a la the WTC flag in Salt Lake.

[cormiermax]

Maybe there planning something like what they did in Lillehammer for the people of Sarajevo back in 94.

[Sir Rols]

It's not THAT new for the ceremonies to acknowledge public events. There was SLC and the WTC flag and Lillehammer acknowledging Sarajevo, as mentioned. And didn't Beijing have some reference to the Sichuan earthquake in their OC? Athens even acknowledged the World Wars with their stumbling hurdlers in their OC.

[Olympian2004]

Wait, before we continue philosophising about political messages in Olympic ceremonies -- isn't the plan simply that NBC will air that "We Are The World" remake during its own opening ceremony coverage (I guess, that is in one of the commercial breaks)? Most articles I've found on that topic say that.

Here, for example, are excerpts from a report from the United Press:

Los Angeles -- The premiere of "We are the World: 25 for Haiti" is to air during NBC's coverage of the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The song's producers said it will have its television debut Feb. 12.

(...)

Following its world premiere on NBC, the new version of the song is expected to air on other networks throughout the world.

(Source: http://www.themoneytimes.com/20100202/039we-are-world039-get-olympic-debut-id-1099162.html)

That doesn't sound as if the song will be part of the opening ceremony itself.

Or it's even clearer in this report:

It was announced today in a press release that the world premiere of 'We Are The World - 25 For Haiti' will air during NBC's coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics on Friday, February 12. Following the world premiere on NBC, it will air on other networks throughout the world.

(Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-4732-Celebrity-Travel-Examiner~y2010m2d2-We-Are-The-World-remake-to-premiere-during-Opening-Ceremony-of-Winter-Olympics)

So I suppose Baron has jumped the gun. And I'd actually be very happy not to hear "We Are The World" at the opening ceremony. Although that remake (just as its original) had a very noble objective, I could never stand that song. In my opinion, it's cheesy. And therefore, it would have killed the opening ceremony for me. Especially since I believe that that style of music doesn't quite fit the style of the other ceremonial music pieces.

[jawnbc]

Exactly--part of NBC's coverage, not the OC itself.

Wait, before we continue philosophising about political messages in Olympic ceremonies -- isn't the plan simply that NBC will air that "We Are The World" remake during its own opening ceremony coverage (I guess, that is in one of the commercial breaks)? Most articles I've found on that topic say that.

Here, for example, are excerpts from a report from the United Press:

(Source: http://www.themoneytimes.com/20100202/039we-are-world039-get-olympic-debut-id-1099162.html)

That doesn't sound as if the song will be part of the opening ceremony itself.

Or it's even clearer in this report:

(Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-4732-Celebrity-Travel-Examiner~y2010m2d2-We-Are-The-World-remake-to-premiere-during-Opening-Ceremony-of-Winter-Olympics)

So I suppose Baron has jumped the gun. And I'd actually be very happy not to hear "We Are The World" at the opening ceremony. Although that remake (just as its original) had a very noble objective, I could never stand that song. In my opinion, it's cheesy. And therefore, it would have killed the opening ceremony for me. Especially since I believe that that style of music doesn't quite fit the style of the other ceremonial music pieces.

[Kenadian]

I don't see the connection. Certainly, the events in Haiti are terrible but where do they fit into a Canadian Winter Olympic ceremony?

Sarajevo hosted the Olympics 10 years before Lillehammer...that has a connection. Salt Lake City is in the same country and 6 months after the WTC attacks. And Beijing is the capital of China so the quake reference fit. And the Athens runner stumbling on the World Wars represented the Olympic Movement through time. But these things are rare and there should be a connection to the greater ceremony.

Anyway, I prefer that the ceremonies be primarily about joy and celebration. Life has enough crap. Let's have fun whenever we can.