Among the many innovative aspects of Rio 2016, the Games are set to reveal all the characteristics of Brazilian flair: harmonious diversity, contagious energy and an exuberant nature. They take place from August 5th to 21st with the Paralympic Games following from September 7th to 18th.
Well over 10,000 athletes will compete in the first edition of the Olympic Games in South America, but its reach will extend far beyond sports. The event will leave a legacy, not just for Rio de Janeiro but all of Brazil, including education, culture and sustainability.
Believing that culture is a country’s first calling card, the Rio 2016 Committee has devised a programme called ‘Celebra’ to represent and promote the diversity of Brazilian culture. The city is to transform its entire waterfront area into a giant entertainment zone for the duration of the festivities. The newly renovated port district, in the heart of Rio’s historic centre, will be the location for a new ‘Olympic Boulevard’ that will stretch some three kilometres along the dockside. Visitors will be able to watch all the Olympic action on big screens, while listening to musicians from Brazil and beyond and enjoying a wide variety of food and drinks.
From August 4th until the end of the Paralympic Games in September there will be more than 100 concerts on the Boulevard, with appearances by well-known Brazilian and international stars as well as up-and-coming names. Artists, street performers, fireworks and light shows will keep the crowds entertained by night and day. There will even be a hot air balloon tethered near the waterfront, taking passengers 150 metres into the air for breathtaking views across the Olympic city. A special Olympic Exhibition will tell the history of the Games and, after the opening ceremony on August 5th, the Olympic cauldron lit by the torch will be located at a special site on the new Boulevard.
Approximately 7.5 million tickets are available for purchase and, in readiness for Rio 2016, the operators of Galeão, as the airport is known, have opened the South Pier of Terminal 2. This brand-new section has been equipped with 26 boarding bridges, giving Galeão more than any airport in Latin America. Already the second busiest airport in Brazil and the fourth busiest in Latin America, as a result of the expansion Galeão’s annual capacity has risen from 17 million passengers per year to 30 million. And, to help tourists get around Rio’s historic centre and in and out of the waterfront area, a brand new light-rail system began operating in June.
www.rio2016.com
