Chengdu opening gala wows audiences as choirs send message of friendship

The 12th World Games burst onto the global stage on Aug 7 with an opening ceremony that artfully married host city Chengdu’s rich cultural legacy with stunning firework displays, as State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the event open before global audiences.

Dazzling fireworks lit up the sky at moments throughout the opening ceremony, amplifying the energy and excitement of the spectacle. The pyrotechnics incorporated meaningful symbols, including a luminous rainbow bridge arching across the night, ancient Chinese seal characters for “Chengdu” — replicating inscriptions first found on a bronze weapon dating back over 2,000 years — and 12 floral fireworks symbolizing all the host cities of the World Games.

Cai Canhuang, chief designer of the fireworks display, said, “These elements represent Chengdu’s warm welcome to all guests and athletes, while showcasing the host city’s perfect blend of ancient heritage and modern openness.”

The ceremony unfolded beneath Asia’s largest freestanding wooden structure — the 460-meter front hall canopy of Tianfu International Conference Center. Spectators enjoyed a unique lawn seating experience on the waterfront, where the show presented urban sports culture through breakdancing, flying disc, and roller-skating performances, alongside a 50-minute parade of athletes.

Xu Xingguo, vice-mayor of Chengdu, described the ceremony as “a dynamic, multicultural celebration that brought together sport lovers, children’s enchanting voices, a creatively crafted flame-lighting ritual and breathtaking fireworks — all merging into a spectacular audiovisual experience”.

Tom Dielen, vice-president of the International World Games Association (IWGA), said the Chengdu games have achieved many “firsts”, noting that the city organized the first-ever torch relay in the history of the World Games on July 26.

The 11-kilometer relay route spanned six cultural landmarks across the cities of Chengdu, Deyang and Meishan, connecting major cultural landmarks including the Sanxingdui and Jinsha ruins, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and Meishan San Su Shrine Museum.

Dielen added that the Chengdu games stand out as the most sustainable edition, making use of 27 existing and renovated venues, both indoor and outdoor. “Chengdu has set a new standard in hosting the games,” he said.

Behind the enthralling choral performance of the Voice of Amity theme song at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Chengdu World Games lie touching stories of friendship among child singers from China and the world.

The song, which was the final showstopper of the ceremony held on Aug 7, was performed by 118 children from choirs across China, Italy and the United States, along with 12 local residents who are university students, sports lovers, and firefighters.

Chloe, one of the nine performers from Italian children’s choir Piccolo Coro dell’Antoniano, who turned 12 that day, said it was a particularly special and meaningful way of celebrating her birthday.

“It is a brand-new experience for us, because it’s our first time participating in such a big international event,” she said, adding that she felt proud to perform at the grand opening ceremony.

Jishi Menizha and Wang Ying, both 12, were helping their families harvest potatoes — a bumper crop this season — in Sichuan’s Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture when they received the invitation to perform at the games’ opening ceremony.

“Helping my parents at home makes me happy, but I’m even happier to be here in Chengdu. It’s our first chance to sing with children from other countries,” said Jishi Menizha, who belongs to the Yi ethnic group and is a member of Niuniu Choir.

Wang, who also belongs to the Yi ethnic group and is a member of the same choir, said that although they do not speak English, they quickly made friends with children from other countries through gestures and games.

Lyu Aiwei, 9, from Hydrangea Choir in Shanghai, who sang the opening line of the theme song at the opening ceremony, said the encouragement she received from children of other participating choirs was heartwarming.

Zhang Qing, deputy chief director of the games’ opening and closing ceremonies, said the reason so many child singers were invited to perform at the opening ceremony is that their innocence can best convey the message of peace and friendship in today’s world.

“What a beautiful thing it was to see children from across the globe join hands and sing a song together!” Zhang said.

Almost 4,000 athletes from 116 countries and regions are participating in the sporting gala in more than 250 events across 36 sports including floorball, powerlifting, archery, flying disc, sport climbing, fistball and squash. The athlete roster spans generations, featuring a 68-year-old archer and a 13-year-old squash prodigy — a testament to the event’s inclusive spirit.

Contact the writers at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn