were opened at the National Stadium on Friday night.
Lima 2019 hosts the 18th edition of the Pan American Games with 6,680 athletes, 39 sports and 61 disciplines thru August 11, and the 6th edition of the
Parapan American Games, which will gather 1,890 Para athletes competing in 17 sports and 18 disciplines, from August 23 to September 1.
"The Opening Ceremony was titled Amazing Peru! through which we hope to connect to the cultural and natural aspects of the country, to the stories, music, myths, images, characters, traditions and flavors," the company expressed.
"As Peru is so diverse, so unique and so rich, these ingredients will be just as exciting and significant for the Pan American athletes we celebrate today and for the audience that we welcome from all over the world," it added.
This ceremony —with 1,933 cast members, of which 1,860 were volunteers— featured 2,350 costumes designed by the best Peruvian creatives, hand-in-hand with the international team of Balich Worldwide Shows.
For this reason, it offered new and varied points of view: that of young and hopeful Peruvians, and that of a world that is ready to see, hear, and live what this great country has to offer.
At the ceremony —woven in a great fabric— the past and the present of a country were presented, in which nature and culture intertwine. An immensely sophisticated country from which the Amazon is born, which gives the world superfoods and from which the first civilization of the Americas emerged.
The set design was based on the concept of duality and contained references to Peru's natural elements and cultural heritage. The natural world was seen in the set's main feature: a sculptural rendition of the Nevado Pariacaca, Lima's sacred mountain. It also portrayed the cliffs of Lima at the base of the mountain, and the Amazon River crossing the field of play.
Peru's culture was represented by its oldest and most recent civilizations from the pre-Hispanic period: the
Caral-Supe with the temple of Caral and the Inca, with the
Fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
The two stages on the sides of the mountain hosted the flags: on one side the nation's, on the other the Games.
The speech stage was a reference to the many Huacas that have been built by pre-Hispanic Peruvians over the centuries. The base of the mountain —which was more than 20 meters high and 35 meters wide— represented both, the Pacific and
Lake Titicaca, and its lines met in 49 points, representing the languages of Peru.
With about 280 hours of rehearsals and 230 production team members from 17 countries, the ceremony involved about 4,700 athletes in the parade at the National Stadium from the 41 nations taking part in the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.
The appearance of the Peruvian delegation —composed of 592 athletes and led by sailor Stefano Peschiera— filled with joy the attendees present at the stadium.
On this occasion, welcoming remarks were made by Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra, Lima 2019 Organizing Committee Chairman Carlos Neuhaus, and Panam Sports Chairman Neven Ilic.