Colourful ceremony opens Commonwealth games in Glasgow

Published July 24, 2014
A message is displayed on a wall of video screen during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
A message is displayed on a wall of video screen during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Queen Elizabeth waves from her vehicle as she arrives at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Queen Elizabeth waves from her vehicle as she arrives at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
A video wall of faces on screen are displayed during a UNICEF appeal at the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (AP)
A video wall of faces on screen are displayed during a UNICEF appeal at the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (AP)
Pakistan's flagbearer Azhar Hussain leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Pakistan's flagbearer Azhar Hussain leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
The Commonwealth Games flag is carried into the arena by former athletes including Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, right, during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
The Commonwealth Games flag is carried into the arena by former athletes including Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, right, during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Fireworks explode during the flag raising at the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Fireworks explode during the flag raising at the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II looks on as British former Olympian cyclist Chris Hoy, left, and Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation struggle to open the Queen's baton during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II looks on as British former Olympian cyclist Chris Hoy, left, and Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation struggle to open the Queen's baton during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. — Photo by AP
Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
A light show passes over the audience during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
A light show passes over the audience during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Performers take part in the opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
Performers take part in the opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
The flag of Scotland is carried by Euan Burton as they arrive during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
The flag of Scotland is carried by Euan Burton as they arrive during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
The Commonwealth flag is carried into the stadium during the opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
The Commonwealth flag is carried into the stadium during the opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Glasgow welcomed a large part of the world and remembered recent tragedies as a diverse and colourful opening ceremony signalled the start of the 20th Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park on Wednesday.

As the sun set on the hottest day of the year in Scotland's biggest city, a vibrant display of tartan-clad dancers, pipe bands and kilted entertainers kicked off 11 days of sporting endeavour.

Opinion

Editorial

Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...
By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...