The Rio Olympics Begins with a Call for Peace and Respect for Nature

The 2016 Olympics in Brazil began in Rio de Janeiro; the themes of the opening ceremony were tolerance, peace, and respect for nature and the habitats of people. 206 delegations present at this Olympics, from UN-recognized countries to other regions, as well as a delegation of refugees, will compete against each other in the coming days. The Iranian delegation also has 64 athletes participating in this year's Olympics. 78,000 people attended the opening ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium, while severe security measures were implemented in light of recent threats and terrorist attacks around the world. Unlike previous Olympics in Beijing and London, the Rio Olympics relied less on technology and more on traditional carnivals and ceremonies of the country. This Olympics has begun while Brazil itself has been grappling with deep political tensions and economic problems in recent months. Preparing Rio for this year's Olympics has cost nearly $12 billion, which faced protests in the 200 million-population country of Brazil over the years, especially in Rio, where numerous demonstrations and marches were held. Officials also have to deal with other local issues, in addition to the terrorist threats of recent months, including crime, theft, and street attacks on journalists and Olympic team members. 85,000 police and military forces will ensure the security of Rio 2016. The official ceremony was held with the presence of the transitional president of Brazil, while Dilma Rousseff, the ousted president of the country, expressed her sadness on Twitter for not being at the ceremony. She had previously stated that she would not attend the ceremony as the second person alongside Michel Temer, the transitional president.