CMU School of Drama


Thursday, April 18, 2024

Paris Olympics Organizers Opening Ceremony Security Plans

variety.com: With France on its highest level of security alert amid geopolitical turmoil in Ukraine and the Middle East, organizers behind the Paris Olympics are still going ahead with ambitious plans to host the opening ceremony along the Seine river on July 26.

3 comments:

Leumas said...

It is somehow staggering how many things need to be thought about in order to make a large event happen. I find the technical aspects most fascinating, but there are so many other things to think about. One of these things that is important to think about is security. Large events have a lot of people in a small amount of space and there are a lot of dangers to be aware of. There are dignitaries at the event that could be easily targeted by somebody in the crowd. Nobody wants a repeat of Lincoln. There are also a lot of civilians in the area, who could be the targets of terrorist attacks. Security officers have to be very vigilant about all kinds of unexpected sources of violence. Also, when there are a lot of people concentrated in a small area, there are going to be common issues of domestic abuse.

Theo K said...

Security during large events especially in this day and age is incredibly important. As someone who came from more of an event's background it's nice to hear how extra security measures are being implemented at the 2024 Summer Games. I like that the speaker in this article addresses that there are plans B and C when it comes to the safety of the opening ceremony. Although understandable considering the security risks, I wish this article Dove a little deeper into what those plans are because I know I personally would be curious to hear more about the actual security measures in place as opposed to the number of officers. Especially with the 2015 attacks at large events in Paris I can see why all these precautions are being taken and I look forward to seeing the 2024 Summer Games and how this all plays out. Although I hope these security plans will never have to be used I am glad they are put in place.

Julia He said...

The security measures at the Paris Games, particularly the possibility of moving the opening ceremony from the Seine to an indoor venue like the Stade de France, highlighted the kind of quick thinking and flexibility familiar to anyone who has been involved in a school play or local production. Just as unexpected rain moves outdoor performances indoors, Olympic organizers have prepared backup plans to make sure everything runs smoothly no matter what happens. This whole situation shows how important it is to be prepared and adaptable, whether you're hosting a small community gig or a large international event like the Olympics. In both cases, our goal is to make sure the audience has a good time and everything goes safely. It's all about thinking on your feet and making plans for whatever might happen. The need to potentially reduce audience numbers from 600,000 to 300,000 also reflects decisions often made by local theaters, where managing audience numbers to accommodate venues is just part of the daily routine. It's not just about safety, it's also about making sure everyone can enjoy the show without feeling crowded or uncomfortable.