The World Games 2022 Opening Ceremonies kickstart historic event for Birmingham and Alabama
Bootsy Collins performs onstage for The World Games 2022 Opening Ceremonies. (Michael Hickey / Getty Images for The Music of the World Games)
Seven and a half years of waiting, including a pandemic-induced delay, didn’t dampen spirits at a packed Protective Stadium, which provided the stage for the Opening Ceremonies of The World Games 2022 presented by Alabama Power.
From Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Army vet Noah Galloway running flags into the stadium to Alabama Olympians Vonetta Flowers, Jennifer Chandler, Cat Reddick Whitehill and Mark Everett and Paralympian Bryan Kirkland bringing in the Olympic flag, the Opening Ceremonies of the 11th edition of The World Games certainly left out little if anything. Artistic Director Henry Panion crafted a gem.
The Alabama flavor extended to Elioenai Campos, who was born in Brazil and lives in Columbiana, reciting the athlete oath.
The Iron City welcomes The World Games 2022 to Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Fans even found themselves as part of the show as Alabama Power wristbands they wore coordinated an amazing light show throughout the 2-plus hour spectacle. The Marching Southerners of Jacksonville State University trumpeted the beginning of the festivities and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bootsy Collins was the master of ceremonies of an evening titled “Unlocking The Magic: Celebrating The Power of The One,” exploring Birmingham’s past, present and future through the eyes of the Four Girls, a tribute to the girls who lost their lives in the 1963 bombing of Birmingham’s Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
The event featured musical and theatrical performances spanning a broad range of genres and generations. The slate included:
- Spoken-word artist and actor Sharrif Simmons, who performed an all-new original poem, “The Journey.”
- Yolanda Adams, who sang a new arrangement of “The National Anthem” during the raising of the flags. She later returned to sing “We Shall Overcome” and “The Battle is the Lord’s.”
- Tony! Toni! Toné!, who sang “Let’s Get Down” with The World Games Color Guard and Alabama State University Ballet. The American soul group came back and teamed with Sheila E. to do their hits “Feels Good” and “The Glamorous Life.”
- Alabama American Idols Taylor Hicks and Bo Bice, gospel musician and five-time Stellar Award winner Pastor Mike Jr., and The Voice’s Worth The Wait, who performed The World Games official theme song, “Hope of Alabama.”
- Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook from country group Alabama, who provided the grand finale, performing their hits “My Home’s in Alabama” and “Mountain Music,” and Nelly, who performed “Hot in Here.”
“A lifetime of memories were captured in this one production,” Panion said. “As an Alabamian, I am honored and proud to have been allowed to serve as artistic director.”
Perhaps nothing was as stirring as the traditional entry of nations, the arrival of the athletes who will compete across the metro area during the next 10 days.
Mary C. Martin of West End echoed the public address announcer as he presented each contingent. Morocco. Nepal. Netherlands. New Zealand. She said each country as she recorded the moment on her telephone video from her seat at the north end of the stadium.
“This is something to witness,” she thought out loud. “Just to be here, it’s like the whole world has come to Birmingham.”
Could she have imagined it? Could she have dreamed it?
“No, not a million years. No, no,” she said. “That’s why it was so important that I be here tonight. I didn’t get a ticket. I volunteered to make sure I was here. I volunteered. No pay, no nothing, just to be here.”
War-torn Ukraine drew a standing ovation when its team entered the stadium, a reception rivaled only by the one given to the host nation. Adam McAllister wore a Stars and Stripes shirt as he roared his approval of the Americans.
“I’m a hardcore American. Absolutely,” the Grayson Valley resident declared. “I’m here to support the country, man. I couldn’t be more thankful and blessed to be born in this country and have the opportunity to come and support the country and the athletes in this country.
“It’s really just an opportunity that I never thought I’d have, being in Birmingham,” McAllister continued. “I’m a progressive young man and I believe to be progressive, you gotta believe in progress. This has been the most progressive thing I think our city’s seen in my 37 years of life. It’s hard to not be overly excited for this kind of stuff.”
Sunena Argo held 5-year-old Simran and pointed to the field as the athletes paraded in.
“I was just showing her the different flags of the different countries, all the people that were represented here today, and how we can all come together despite our differences and enjoy a great week,” the Pelham woman said. “We’ve grown up here in Birmingham all of our lives and to see how much the city has changed to be able to host the World Games has been amazing.”
Mountain Brook’s Scott Reed echoed that sentiment.
“You see people from all over the world here to see what great things Birmingham can offer,” he said. “It just shows what the city can do, what they’re capable of when they put their efforts all in the same direction.
“While we have little cities around the city of Birmingham, we’re all one community,” Reed continued. “It’s only right that everybody should contribute to the overall effort.”
