JAKARTA was brimming with a festive mood. Many people had been flocking to the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium since morning, passing Jalan Sudirman that was heavily decorated with hundreds of banners and red-and-white flags. Vehicles flooded the road that was jam-packed with enthusiastic people. The admission was free, so no one wanted to miss the rare opportunity.

At three in the afternoon, the stadium was already filled with 100,000 spectators, while many others were swarming on the other side of the gate. An hour later, President Sukarno arrived by helicopter. The opening ceremony for The Games of the New Emerging Forces (Ganefo), the grand sporting event subsequently began. One by one the contingents of each country paraded and marched while being greeted by the excited spectators.

An Indonesian athlete, Harun Al-Rasjid, ran with a torch to light the Ganefo cauldron. The blazing flame was then accompanied by the raising of the Ganefo flag and the chanting of the Ganefo hymn. The ceremonial event felt familiar, yet at the same time had great significance for the participants.

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