Expo 2010 opening ceremony
The 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony occurred on April 30, 2010 at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, a day before the opening of the Expo 2010.The opening ceremony was planned and designed by ECA2's founder, Yves Pepin.
Pre-ceremony
On April 29, 2010 General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Chinese Communist Party sat down with former Chairman Lien Chan of the Kuomintang in a pre-expo meeting.In the morning of April 30, the flags of 189 nations, 57 international organizations, the World expo bureau flag and the Shanghai expo flag were all raised at the expo venues.
Outdoor opening fireworks
The event began at 8:10 pm with a massive river side display of fireworks and lights.Indoor ceremony
Leader entrances
Chinese leader Hu Jintao enters Expo Culture center with many world leaders. Twenty foreign heads of state or government attended the opening ceremony:- n President Serzh Sarkisyan
- n Prime Minister Hun Sen
- President Denis Sassou-Nguesso
- European Commission President José Manuel Barroso
- President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni
- ese President Ali Bongo Ondimba
- Prime Minister Karim Masimov
- n President Mwai Kibaki
- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- n President Lee Myung-bak
- an President Bingu wa Mutharika
- an President Amadou Toumani Touré
- President George Abela
- President Emanuel Mori
- n President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
- Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
- President Mahmoud Abbas
- President James Alix Michel
- President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov
- ese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
Presentations
The song "Harmonious Gathering" was performed by Hong Kong's Jackie Chan and PRC's Song Zuying. The PRC flag was raised, and the March of the Volunteers was played. Then the international bureau exposition flag was raised, and the expo song was played. This was followed by the raising of the Shanghai Expo flag and the playing of the Shanghai Expo song. Then the flag-bearers of 246 participating countries and international organizations paraded out. Wang Qishan, Vice Premier of China and BIE president Jean-Pierre Lafon both gave a speech. Hu Jintao then opened up the expo performances with an official statement.Performances
The first song was sung by PRC's Mao Amin, Lau Yuan-yuan and Taiwan's Wakin Chau. They were also accompanied by dancers. An orchestra featuring PRC pianist Lang Lang played "Jasmine Flower", "The Blue Danube", "New Shanghai concerto", and "Yangtze river song".The theme song "Better city, Better life" was followed and sung by United States's Jonathan Buck and Siedah Garrett. An instrumental performance of "Brave Bugle" is performed by a New Zealand troupe. Japan's Shinji Tanimura then perform the song "star".
Afterwards the song "A type of love" was performed by the South Africa's Soweto Gospel Choir. Italy's Andrea Bocelli then followed up with a performance of "Nessun dorma".
The expo theme song was performed by PRC's Huang Ying, Liao Chang, Tan Jing and Sun Nan. Two Tibetan orphans who survived the earlier 2010 Yushu earthquake joins the stage.