It was Osmanthus’ feast.
The curtain has risen. The opening ceremony of the Hangzhou 2022 Para Asian Games took place at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, capital of China’s Zhejiang Province, on Wednesday. The Games will be held five years after the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Para Asian Games, which were postponed by one year due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in China.
The theme of the opening ceremony was Osmanthus. Osmanthus is the native flower of Hangzhou, and while it is considered a precious flower in the West, it is no exaggeration to say that the entire city of Hangzhou is made up of Osmanthus trees, meaning that you can find them everywhere in the city.
As the opening ceremony began, Osmanthus trees surrounded the entire stadium, followed by 22 giant golden bouquets of Osmanthus in a circle. The bouquets gradually floated into the sky, illuminating the stage. The stadium was bathed in golden light, and the smell of the osmanthus flowers wafted through the air.
As a Para Asian Games, the focus was on sensory stimulation. One of the five senses that people with disabilities can share without barriers is the sense of smell. The sense of smell is shared by almost everyone. As Osmanthus filled the main stage, the scent spread to the stands, filling the entire stadium.
Osmanthus, whose flower meaning is “to attract your heart,” was used as a reminder that no matter how uncomfortable you may be, you can share your heart through scent.
The slogan of the competition, “Hearts Meet, Dreams Shine,” signifies that everyone is welcome and dreams of victory. The warm and gentle bright light from Osmanthus welcomed everyone with a competitive spirit.
The opening ceremony brought together people with and without disabilities. Everyone smelled the flowers and united. At the end of the opening ceremony, 36 able-bodied dancers and 36 wheelchair dancers teamed up to perform a choreographed dance to encourage each other on the road ahead.
“We have created a barrier-free environment in the stadium and made careful preparations to 토토사이트 provide spectators with a smooth viewing experience,” said Li Yiqing, spokesperson for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies Operations Center.
Meanwhile, a total of 5121 athletes (3020 athletes and 2101 officials) from 44 countries participated in the event. South Korea ranked 15th out of 44 countries. The flag bearers were Joo Jeong-hoon (Sport Class K44-SK Eco Plant) in men’s taekwondo and Kim Hee-jin (Sport Class B2-Seoul Mayor’s Sports Association) in women’s goalball.