First European Games open in Baku

Baku has started the opening ceremony of the First European Games. Over 6,000 athletes from 50 countries have assembled to compete for medals. Ali Hasymov has made a performance with a mugham, followed by girls in variegated skirts, who formed dozens of human ornaments for the complimentary speeches and the national music of the hosts. The ornaments display the traditional carpetry art of Azerbaijan. The national anthem of Azerbaijan was played and the state flag of the republic was raised.

A video about the history of the European Olympic Torch was shown, its travel from Ateshgah through all the cities of the republic, to the Caspian Sea to Baku. Concluding the video, the Olympic Flame was delivered by Azerbaijani athletes Ilham Zakiyev and Saeed Huliyev. They placed the Torch at the center of the scene. It spread in all directions, sparking the inspiration of the poet Nizami.

Under the music of Kara Karayev, spectators watched stories of Nizami's characters. Massive scales with the famous characters of the poet, Layla and Majnun, were placed in the center of the stage. At the end, a huge pomegranate appeared on the stage. When it opened, the sky was filled with hundreds of red balloons.

Then the parade of athletes began. According to tradition, the first was Greece. Then Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Macedonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine paraded to the music of Uzeyir Hajibeyov and Fikret Amirov. The last team, by tradition, was the national team of Azerbaijan.

Lady Gaga sang John Lennon's 'Imagine' on a piano made of flowers, after which eight Olympic champions of Europe handed over the flag of the European Olympic Games. The flag was raised next to the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the anthem of the European Olympic Committee. The stage turned into a synchrotron for a few moments, after which the ceremony moved from science to myths - Europe soared in the air, kidnapped by Zeus in the form of a bull.

The First Lady of Azerbaijan, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Chairperson of the European Games Organising Committee, Mehriban Aliyeva, said in her speech "President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, President of the European Olympic Committee, Patrick Hickey, President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, European Games athletes, ladies and gentlemen, dear guests, welcome to Azerbaijan, welcome to the inaugural European Games."

"Today, here, a new page is being written in the European Olympic movement's history. Azerbaijan is proud that the First European Games are being held in Baku. At the sacred temple of Ateshgah the flame of the European Games was lit and traveled across our beautiful country, touching the heart of every Azerbaijani. I want to thank the European Olympic Committees and its president Patrick Hickey for not only choosing Baku to host the first European Games, but also for support and assistance for organizing this memorable event. I would also like to welcome the President of the National Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and the members of Olympic family for their continuous support," Mehriban Aliyeva said.

The next speaker was Patrick Hickey. According to him, "we have added the missing fifth ring to the continental Games of the world." He expressed his gratitude to Ilham Aliyev, Mehriban Aliyeva and Azerbaijan.

Hickey invited Ilham Aliyev to the stage and Azerbaijani President officially announced the First European games as open.

After the fireworks, Alim Gasimov flew on a magic carpet. To the music of Gara Garayev a girl with a seed in her hand came on stage, and grass grew under her feet. At the opposite end of the stage a lake appeared - a symbol of the Caspian Sea, and a girl entered it. Then, some men in the middle of the stage began to dance and the Caucasus Mountains grew. According to the paintings of ancient people, it was Gobustan.

Another man appeared at the very top of the mountain, told the immortal story of the great Nizami of Layla and Majnun. The stage was lit by the fire which he held in his hands, forming fiery lines of a human figure. Layla and Majnun met - and the fire man disappeared, leaving only a torch in the hands of the lovers, they lit a giant hoop symbolizing an eclipse - the sun and the moon meet, it was the beginning of a new life.

This flame will burn until the end of the First European Olympic Games in Baku.