SportGibraltar

Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006 Opening Ceremony

15th March 2006

Gibraltar's participants will be treated to an opening ceremony which according to, Andrew Walsh, Melbourne 2006 executive producer of ceremonies promises to be “robust” and vibrant”. He said he is confident that millions of TV viewers around the world will see a show “like nothing before”. The Opening Ceremony for the Commonwealth Games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is on Wednesday night. The Australians showed they know how to provide a spectacle when they hosted the 2000 Olympics.

Watch some of the highlights on BBC Two: Wed 15 Mar, 19:30 - 21:00, 90 mins.
There's also a look forward to 11 days of competition that gets underway later on in the evening on BBC 1

The Queen and her husband Prince Philip will officially open the Commonwealth Games, for which security has been raised. Their son Prince Edward, along with Prime Minister John Howard and Victorian Pre
mier Steve Bracks are also attending the Opening Ceremony.

Walsh said, “we want people to take away the impression of Melbourne being a creative and vibrant city.

“It’s a ceremony that is not exactly typical of other ceremonies, it’s much more inspirational in its design. It’s very contemporary in a lot of ways. What we want people to take away is a sense of uplift. It’s creative, interesting and very vibrant”.

The Opening Ceremony will feature music performed by the Sydney Orchestra. About 6,000 people have helped to organize the event.

We hope that our participants will enjoy the sporting and ambassadorial role in a games that provides Gibraltar with a great opportunity to show the world, who we are.

I am sure you will all join me in wishing them the best of luck in all their events.

Click here: for the Commonwealth Games website