Volume 1 Volume 1 - Commonwealth Games Federation

18 To promote and share the Games as widely as possible,an off-site Opening Ceremony programme will be deliveredto engage wider audiences, through satellite technology,around Sri Lanka and across the Commonwealth. Thestunning backdrop to the Mahinda Rajapaksa InternationalCricket Stadium will be the modern, iconic venues of theGames Park and the surrounding lush tropical vegetationof the District that reaches out towards the coastline.To fit with broadcast schedules and final preparations forathletes, the Opening Ceremony will commence in the earlyevening, local time. The timing and close proximity of theGames Village will ensure that the majority of athletes fromall participating Commonwealth nations are able to attend,contributing to the ‘festival feel’ and showcasing thediversity of the Games to the international audience.The Closing Ceremony will be on the evening of the finalday of competition. CGF protocol will again be respectedand combined with a blend of Sri Lanka’s traditional andwestern cultural influences. The event will include the FlagHandover Ceremony and programming input from the 2022Host City.The GCC will oversee the planning of the ClosingCeremony, with a focus on ensuring that the athletesare at the centre of the festivities, celebrating theirparticipation and achievements. In keeping with ourvision, the overarching focus will be on fun, friendshipand togetherness, showcasing Sri Lanka’s warmth andhospitality to the world and reiterating our bid emblemand strap line “Together. From the heart.”Theme 1: Games Vision and ConceptQ1.09Describe the intended venue(s) for the Opening andClosing Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games(location, seating capacity etc.) and indicate whetherthe venue(s) already exists or has yet to be built.If the ceremonies are not taking place in your mainathletics stadium, please include the location of thevenue(s) on Maps A and B.The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games willbe staged in the existing Mahinda Rajapaksa InternationalCricket Stadium.The stadium has an existing capacity of 34,300 (20,000seated), which will be permanently increased to 60,000prior to hosting the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup in Hambantota.There will be temporary overlay to provide a world classvenue to showcase the celebrations at the Openingand Closing Ceremonies.As illustrated in Maps A and B, the stadium is located centrallyat the northern end of the Games Park, easily accessible fromthe outer ring road and in close proximity to the main Villageand MMC.Media and spectators will benefit from efficient transportservices to access and egress the stadium from the mainaccommodation hubs.Q1.10Briefly describe your concept for cultural events to takeplace prior to and during the Commonwealth Games.Cultural programmeSri Lanka has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, tracedback over 2,500 years of documented history. The ancientBuddhist roots are still predominant in Sri Lankan culture,with additional influences by religion and colonisationthat have resulted in a distinct cultural identity,renowned worldwide.Festivals are held throughout the year and across thecountry. Significant events include the Sinhala and TamilNew Year and Esala Perahera held annually in Kandy.Internationally, Sri Lanka is well known for the GalleInternational Literary Festival and Colombo FashionWeek. The diversity and depth of culture in the country,combined with the experience of delivering events andfestivals, will create a Cultural Programme, delivered priorto and during the Games, that will engage and captureinterest locally, nationally and internationally. This will,in turn, attract many overseas visitors.The Cultural Programme will involve communities fromacross the District and the country, using the Games as acatalyst to promote and help sustain Sri Lanka’s arts andculture – an aim outlined within the President’s ‘Vision forthe Future’. The focus will be on festivities and fun thatcombine sport and culture and showcase the country’sdance, music, art and culture.All nine provinces have a distinct cultural heritage and thefull breadth of Sri Lanka’s cultural offer will be deliveredthough the Cultural Programme to raise awareness andpromote cultural understanding.The GCC, in conjunction with the National CulturalRegulatory Board, will drive the development, planningand delivery of the Cultural Programme. This willcommence in 2014, immediately after the Games inGlasgow. The range and scale of cultural activities andevents will increase year on year up to 2018, with themain programme of events taking place during the 11days of the Games, when Sri Lanka’s rich culture will beintegrated and showcased.The Cultural Programme will feature events such as a largescale Cultural Festival; Cultural Partnerships and Exchanges(as successfully took place in Delhi); cultural scholarshipsfrom the on-site university; plus smaller scale eventsduring the Games, held in different venues, both withinthe Games Park and across the District and country.VOLUME 1 Theme 1 Hambantota 2018 Commonwealth Games Candidate City File