{"id":2909,"date":"2016-08-23T20:07:47","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T20:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/?p=2909"},"modified":"2016-08-25T11:52:59","modified_gmt":"2016-08-25T11:52:59","slug":"opening-the-olympic-closing-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/opening-the-olympic-closing-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening the Olympic Closing Ceremony!"},"content":{"rendered":"

So proud!<\/b><\/h2>\n
\"Maria<\/a>

Maria Esther Bueno holds the Brazilian flag at the Closing Ceremony of Rio 2016<\/p><\/div>\n

The 31st Olympic Games came to an end on Sunday night and Maria Esther Bueno had the honour of opening the vibrant ceremony at Rio’s Maracan\u00e3 Stadium with great aplomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the proudest moment of my life,\u201d she said. \u201cI was supposed to be smiling but I was so emotional standing there, holding the Brazilian flag as the choir sang our national anthem, that I just couldn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n

The segment opened the final proceedings with Maria Esther standing on the platform with the folded flag, which she presented to the audience and then handed to the Brazilian Army Major alongside to pass on to the Colour Guard, who hoisted it high on the flagpole alongside the Olympic flag.<\/p>\n

The Youth Choir sang the Brazilian National Anthem as a giant rendition of the flag appeared around them on the video floor of the stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all faced the flag as it went up and it was an incredible occasion,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

As the anthem came to a close, the individuals in the choir moved to various new positions to form the stars on the flag as the spectators in the stadium cheered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just fantastic!\u201d<\/p>\n