Daily Star – Lebanon
Spectacular ceremony kicks off Francophone games in Lebanon
Sleiman lauds Beirut as `mother of Dialogue’ and tolerance
By Patrick Galey
Daily Star staff
Monday, September 28, 2009
Spectacular ceremony kicks off Francophone games in Lebanon
BEIRUT: The sixth Francophone Games kicked off in spectacular fashion
Sunday with a lavish opening ceremony in Beirut. Thousands of fans
packed into Camille Chamoun stadium as more than 70 million television
viewers worldwide tuned in to see the extravagant launch. The ceremony
was attended by top Lebanese politicians including President Michel
Sleiman, caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri and Parliament Speaker Nabhi Berri.
In addition, delegates from 44 nations watched from the stands,
including French Prime Minister Francois Fillio, who is expected to
meet with Sleiman, Hariri and Berri in the coming days. Prince Albert
of Monaco and Abdou Diouf, secretary general of the Francophone
organization, were also present.
Inaugurating the games, Sleiman praised Lebanon as a country that
typified the Francophone organization’s key values of solidarity,
diversity and excellence.
`Today’s event underlines that Beirut is the mother of dialogue. [It
is a city] that embraces West and East,’ he said. Sleiman welcomed
international delegations `to the nation of the Cedars where all races
come closer and unite through a universal language’ of tolerance.
`This event emphasizes Leba – non’s presence in the Arab world as a
democratic state that brings together all people,’ and added that the
country’s Constitution guaranteed coexistence for its
multi-confessional society.
The Francophone Games are being held in an Arab country for their
first time since their inception in 1989 and the coming 10 days will
see more than 3000 participants from 68 countries compete in a variety
of cultural and sporting events. The launch in Beirut was the first
Francophone opening ceremony to be simultaneously broadc
st in five continents as spectators from across the globe tuned in to
see their countries’ teams.
The opening ceremony was preceded by performances from the Internal
Security Forces marching band, as well as military formation displays
by Lebanese Army soldiers.
The games’ participants paraded in front of the lively crowd, with
many teams dressed in traditional national costumes, providing a
vibrant spectacle for sports fans and politicians alike. A stunning
sound and light display followed, featuring plays, songs and poetic
recitals about Lebanon’s diverse cultural history performed by more
than 100 musicians, actors and dancers.
Dance routines included a mass rendition of the traditional Lebanese
dance, the debke, as well as a troop of whirling dervishes and a
contemporary dance performance, specially choreographed for the
occasion.
Lebanese singer Magda al-Roumi wowed the audience with her rousing
rendition of `Ya Beirut’ before being joined for a duet with
world-renowned Senegalese artist Youssen N’Dior. An impressive
fireworks display brought the opening ceremony to a fitting finale.
Athletes at the games will be divided between seven sporting
disciplines, including athletics, soccer, table tennis and women’s
basketball. Beach volleyball is appearing for the first time on the
sporting schedule in 2009. Seven cultural events will include
painting, sculpture, photography and creative dance.
Soccer features heavily in the games’ schedule, with Lebanon drawn in
a trough group alongside strong teams from Cameroon, Burkina Faso and
the Ivory Coast. Games will be split between Beirut and the southern
coastal city of Sidon, with the final set for October 6. The showcase
match, however, will be a friendly played between Lebanon and French
giants Olympic Marseille.
The large crowd was boosted as organizers chose to open the gates of
Sports City to the public, although a large security presence was
visible, with LAF soldiers placed in and around the stadium. Roads
surrounding the arena wer
ty for the event, which runs until October 6, is set to be extremely
tight, with thousands of soldiers and police being deployed to monitor
calm at sports stadia and theatres as well as the `Francophone
Village’ outside of Beirut, in which all participants are currently
residing.
Hariri called for a toning down of political rhetoric in the run up to
the games. `I urge all political parties to exercise restraint ¦ as
the Francophone Games approach,’ he said earlier this month, adding
that the event was important for Lebanon as the glare of the global
media would be focused on Beirut.
Canada is the most heavily represented nation at the 2009 Francophone
Games with 300 participants, followed by France with 200. Lebanon is
expected to compete well in the medals table, with a squad of 150
athletes and artists. Other countries competing include Armenia,
Greece, Vietnam, Morocco and Egypt.
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