By Muhammad Ali MARACANÃ: Brazil welcomed the world to Rio de Janeiro with a rapturous and vibrant opening ceremony at Maracanã Stadium here Friday night with a programme that highlighted the country’s passion for life. Under the gaze of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue, people around the globe watched South America’s first Olympics. Brazilian singer Paulinho da Viola sang the national anthem to set off the show of laser lights and elaborate dances. The opening ceremony was a celebration of Brazil’s racial diversity and cultural accomplishments. The parade of nations, the longest part of the ceremony, welcomed athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees. Among the nations was the much-anticipated team of 10 refugees, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said was selected to be a symbol of hope for refugees around the world. Pakistan’s flag was carried by shooter Ghulam Mustafa Bashir at the ceremony that also showcased the power of the Olympic Games to unite the world in a time of conflict. Boos reverberated around the Maracanã Stadium as interim Brazilian President Michel Temer declared the Rio Games 2016 open. Temer, who took over as President following the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in May, had clearly anticipated this reaction and asked not to be announced to the crowd at the beginning, as is customary for the Head of State. Boos had also rung out when Rio 2016 Organising Committee President Carlos Nuzman had referred to support from “City, State and Federal” Governments in an opening speech that was otherwise received enthusiastically. They were even louder when the cauldron was eventually lit by Vanderlei De Lima, the marathon runner who was a surprise, but welcome choice to light the Olympic Flame after the late withdrawal of football icon Pelé. IOC President Thomas Bach claimed how the Olympics were a solution to our “world of crisis, mistrust and uncertainty”. He told the crowd of 70,000 at the stadium: “Here is our Olympic answer, we 10,000 of the best athletes in the world, living with each other peacefully in the Athletes’ Village. In this Olympic world we are all equal. In this Olympic world we see that the values of humanity are stronger than the forces which wish to divide us.” ‘No to the Olympics’ As the clock ticked down to the start of the ceremony, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to vent their fury at Brazil’s rulers and the multi-billion-dollar cost of the Games. Waving signs reading “No to the Olympics!”, about 3,000 people gathered outside the luxury Copacabana Palace Hotel where many Olympic athletes are staying. Brazil has spent more than $10 billion on new infrastructure and preparing for the Games at a time of economic crisis. The billions lavished on the Games has angered many Brazilians as the country grapples with a tanking economy and mass social problems. The opening ceremony, watched by an estimated global television audience of more than billion people, also paid tribute to Brazil’s multi-cultural character by marking contributions made by Portuguese explorers, African slaves and Japanese immigrants. A lengthy catwalk by model Gisele Bündchen was another highlight, although the celebration failed to reach the highs of Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. The designers of the opening ceremony focused more on the world and its cultures because they felt previous games opening ceremonies were too focused on the host country. They covered the history of the country, from rainforest to the sprouting of civilization in several swift, brilliant production moves. The ceremony opened with a countdown – as silver-clad dancers pounded on reflective pillows, and images of peace signs and fireworks exploded off the top of the stadium. The fish-shaped center of the stadium opened with images of rolling waves and white stick puppets of crabs and worms making their away across the floor. As more of the creatures were walked across, a rainforest started taking shape in the center of the stadium, celebrating one of the best known parts of Brazil. As the animals cleared, green spread across the stadium floor and the sound of birds, falling water and animal life brought an artificial rainforest to life. Performers joined the faux forest, many of whom are actual members of indigenous tribes, pulling giant, lit ropes. From the rainforest, performers acting as immigrants from Portugal in the 1500s moved in, manning ships that rolled across the stadium’s floor. The image of explorers meeting the indigenous people of the country gave way to other Europeans immigrants and the slave trade moved into the country. The ceremony noted the role of slavery in the countries development – although it was outlawed in Brazil in the late 1800s, it’s effects are still strongly felt there – with actors portraying the work of slaves as the sounds of chains and whips echoed throughout the stadium. Rather than rely heavily on props, the ceremony extensively used projection systems, with performers hopping across “buildings” as modern cities slowly sprung up, with the set eventually turning into a representation of Sao Paolo, the biggest city in Brazil. A large piece of the ceremony was dominated by a string of Brazilian singers and musicians, reflecting the rich musical culture of Brazil, as shapes and colors lit the stadium up like a giant dance club. The organisers also made it a point to spotlight the divide between rich and poor in the country, which has been the subject of much media coverage in the lead-up to the 2016 Games, including questions of how so much money could be poured into a sporting event with poverty so deep and rampant there. The centerpiece of the opening ceremony focused on global climate change. Projections on the stadium floor included graphics on weather and maps showing Greenland’s ice caps melting and coastal areas, from Amsterdam to South Florida, sinking under rising sea levels. Images of people planting gardens and farms were projected, giving way to references to each Olympic athlete planting a single seed – more than 11,000 seeds – introducing the parade of nations. At the end of a more than four-hour opening ceremony, Brazilian tennis player Gustavo Kuerten carried the Olympic flame into the stadium and long-distance runner Cordeiro lit the cauldron, officially opening the biggest spectacle on earth. The Rio Olympics have been shaded for weeks under the specter of worries about crime, criticism of venues and facilities, dirty water that could be spotted from space and the Zika Virus outbreak. Political chaos even distracted from the start of the Olympic Games as an interim President was in the stands after President Rousseff was impeached. The Games have also been marred by scandal emanating from half a world away: nearly a third of Russia’s Olympic delegation was barred from the Rio Olympics after revelations emerged of a state-sponsored doping programme. More than 100 Russian athletes had failed to earn the approval of the International Olympic Committee. Police forces in the country have been significantly beefed up as the police force alone swelled to nearly 14,000 officers. Overall, there are expected to be 85,000 or so security forces around Rio, from police officers to the Brazilian Armed Forces.