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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow
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Sample of comments on Olympic opening ceremony
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Prince Albert of Monaco, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, said, ''The Olympic Games are an exceptional, harmonious and solemn moment. Look, we take pictures of each other, we throw snow balls at each other, we exchange pins. Yes, they are a very special moment.''
Mary Tsumagari Gaddie, director of image and presentation for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, said, ''We are thinking about what we'll do for our opening ceremony. We want to show the culture of the American West and all of the United States. This ceremony gave a view of Japan, not just Nagano.''
Kai Holm, president of the Danish National Olympic Committee, said, ''It looks like the Japanese are looking forward to what's going to happen over the next 14 days.''
''Wonderful, wonderful'', British Sports Minister Tony Banks said, ''I thought it was really inspiring, time went very quickly and I thoroughly enjoyed it.''
Yokozuna Akebono, who performed sumo's dohyo-iri ring purification ritual at the opening ceremony in freezing temperature, said: ''Ten minutes cold, a lifetime of memory.''
And then he added, ''I want some pins, do you have any?''
Makoto Kobayashi, director general of the Nagano Olympic organizing committee (NAOC), said, ''Every scene was good. With various elements such as peace approach and children's participation, I hope people understood the aims of this Olympics through seeing the whole program.''
(Kyodo News)
 Ringing of bell at Zenkoji Temple |
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Copyright 1998 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun