Part 2 - LA84 Foundation

13. Opening, Closing and
Victory Ceremonies
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13.4.2
Closing Ceremonies
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The empty ground and the jampacked
stand. At 7 p.m. sharp on October 2,
the Emille Bell resounded the stadium
signalling the beginning of the Closing
Ceremonies. "Friendship," the first
performance of the Closing
Ceremonies, was about to begin.
A total of 807 performers, comprising
500 ribbon gymnasts from Sejong
University and Haesong Girls
Commercial High School, 300 farmers
music band players from Kongju
Agricultural High School and seven
streamer dancers appeared on the
ground and presented dances
celebrating the priceless friendship
forged during the past 16 days and
appeasing the sorrow of parting. After
the performance, they formed a line
along the track to welcome the entry
of athletes.
At 7:06 p.m., athletes entered the
stadium led by 150 flagbearers. The
entry order was the same as the
Opening Ceremonies. The athletes
looked most casual and joyful in spite
of the heated competitions during the
past 16 days. Many athletes wore the
native costumes of their countries.
At 7:37 p.m. SLOOC President Park
Seh-jik and IOC President Samaranch
appeared at the podium. The national
flag of Greece was hoisted to the
national anthem of the country, and
the national flag of Korea was hoisted
in the center to the Korean national
anthem, followed by the hoisting of
the national flag of Spain, the next
host of the Games, to the Spanish
national anthem.
At 7:41 p.m. the ground onto which
darkness began to creep was lighted
with blue, and silence was broken by
the traditional Korean sound of
pressing cloth with wooden sticks.
From both the South and North Gates,
1,150 members of the Sonbong
Dance Troupe rushed out and formed
an S-shaped bridge spanning the
southern and northern ends of the
field. The bridge was Ojakkyo, or the
"Magpie Bridge," symbolizing love.
Then followed the dance symbolizing
the meeting and parting on the bridge,
which curved gracefully like the Milky
Way. Performing the Fan and Para
(Cymbal) Dances were 720 dancers
and students from Sonbong Dance
Troupe, Sookmyung Women's
University and Sung-ui Women's
Junior College. The fans and para,
cymbals, a traditional percussion
instrument, in the hands of the
dancers and the ritual robes and
peaked hats they wore all showed the
traditional styles of costumes and
accessories unique to Korea.
Next was the "Parting Ships." At
7:52 p.m., 550 performers from the
Sonbong Dance Troupe, Ewha
Womans University, Suwon University
and Korea Judo College unfolded the
scene of parting ships to the narrative
Korean folk song, pansori, sung by
Living Cultural Treasure Mme.
Kim So-hee and eight other famous
singers. The melancholy boat song
was borrowed from a popular ancient
tale about a filial daughter. One
hundred and fifty farmers' flags, which
were six meters high each, were
transformed into boat sails and
fluttered, while the blue cloth and
shawls waved by the dancers
produced the waves and the rowing
movements. The result was a fantastic
scene of parting.
When the flagbearers and dancers
exited through the South and North
Gates and the streamer dancers and
ribbon gymnasts who had formed a
receiving line on the track followed
suit, SLOOC President Park Seh-jik
appeared at the rostrum and delivered
the closing remarks.
Closing remarks
"Two weeks ago we gathered here in
the Olympic Stadium to share the
pleasure of meeting. Today we are
gathered here again, but this time for
the sad task of saying good-bye. Then,
it was day. Now, it is night. Then, it was
opening the door. Now, it is closing the
door But remember, a door is always
there awaiting another opening.
"Because the door is there, there can
be no such thing as a permanent parting.
We have become one. The tears
of winners and losers have flowed
together and there has been no single
winner.
"We have celebrated an Olympics of
harmony and progress with 160
nations participating — more than ever
in Olympic history. Through a rich
program of artistic events and scholastic
meetings, we have shown the Olympics
to be a festival of human culture
as well as of sports. As lovers of peace
we have conducted an Olympics that
provided security for all, we hope we
have planted the seeds of hope and
prosperity for all developing countries
of the world through our efforts here in
Seoul. The following Paralympics in
Seoul will be an Olympiad of love and
compassion. The powerful forces of
Human Culture, Unity, Harmony and
Progress and Love and Compassion
provide a future legacy for all who
follow us.
"Soon the flame of the torch of the
24th Olympic Games will be extinguished.
The love and hope which has
burned deep in our hearts will shine
forth again when the torch is kindled in
the cauldrons of Barcelona just four
years from now. Those who continue
to have hope will gather there with a
new joy and memories of pride, delight
and reward we shared under the skies
of Seoul.
"I would like to express my deep gratitude
to all the Games operation personnel,
the Korean people and the
entire Olympic family from around the
world.
"Good-bye everyone; see you in
Barcelona!
"See you again!"
Park Seh-jik President of the Seoul
Olympic Organizing Committee
After Park's speech, IOC President
Samaranch made the closing declaration
as follows:
"In the name of the International
Olympic Committee, I offer to Mr. Roh
Tae Woo, President of Korea, and to
the Korean people, to the authorities of
the city of Seoul and to the Organizing
Committee of the Games, our deepest
gratitude. I thank the competitors,
officials, spectators, the media and all
those who have contributed to the
success of these Games. I declare the
Games of the XXIVth Olympiad closed
and in accordance with tradition, I call
upon the youth of all countries to
assemble four years from now at
Barcelona, there to celebrate with us
the Games of the XXVth Olympiad."
Joan Antonio Samaranch, President of
the International Olympic Committee
After Samaranch's declaration, Seoul
Mayor Kim Yong-nae returned the