This is one of those rare moments when the majority of the are be watching the same thing-on their TV sets- at the same time with, perhaps, the same emotions. The world is taking part in this grand ceremony of sportsmanship and celebration of humanity. Small or big, powerful or feeble, rich or poor, almost all people of the world are represented in the Games and everyone is so proud of that.

President Hu Jintao of our country is so right when he says this (at a luncheon with visiting heads of state earlier Friday): “The historic moment we have long awaited is arriving. The world has never needed mutual understanding, mutual toleration and mutual cooperation as much as it does today.”