TAWOMG - A Great Party!

Dear Friends,

Think of a great party. You sing, you dance, you laugh, sometimes tears come to your eyes, because you are happy and touched by something that is dear to you. You and people around you have good reasons to celebrate. You are glad to be there, to share with others all those moments. You have the feeling that you belong to that place and you think how fortunate you are to be part of that family, group of friends, club or any other sort of association. For days you will feel good and the memories of that party will be cherished for years to come.

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I have talked with many people that watched the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on television. Most said it was beautiful and they were proud with the show that the organisers put on stage. Also friends abroad sounded very positive about yesterday’s event. But I can tell you: what you saw on television was nothing compared with the great mood in Maracanã, something that television could not capture.

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Being at the stadium was like having fun at a great party. The public was completely taken by the warmth and beauty of the show. It spoke directly to the heart of those present. It is amazing how well the songs were chosen, how much Brazilians could feel empathy by what was going on and how pleased we were with the full picture. Foreigners were maybe half of the public. They simply joined in and had a great time.

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Sometimes I think it was a blessing that the organisers were very short of money for this ceremony. They were forced to be creative and their criativity became beauty. The whole ceremony was in fact super simple, and simplicity made a huge impact. In one word, we could show the best of ourselves to the rest of the world. How fantastic that we didn’t miss this opportunity.

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Ecology, diversity, music, beauty, the capacity to celebrate life. This is the best face of Brazil, one that we can all be very proud about. Brazil could be a great country, it is up to Brazilians to make it happen.

Wish you enjoy the Games!

Maurício