The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXII Olympic Winter Games, is the 22nd Games of the Winter Olympics. It is an international winter sports event that was held from February 7 to February 23, 2014. The host city was Sochi in Russia. It was chosen on July 4, 2007, during the 119th International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Guatemala City, Guatemala. This was Russia's first time hosting the Winter Olympics (the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow though). These were also the first winter games in a subtropical city.
Fifteen winter sports were played in the 2014 Winter Olympics program. Sports included were ones that are generally played in the winter. They include skiing, ice skating, ice hockey, and curling. A total of twelve new events was contested to make it the largest Winter Olympics to date. The following sports were played:
Most of the stadiums will be built at a place called Sochi Olympic Park near the Black Sea coast All of the venues(stadiums) being used are new. The venues are near each other. This will provide a great compactness of the concept with the Olympic Stadium and all indoor venues of the Olympics will be gathered within walking distance.
Hoewever, some parts of the Olympics, mainly skiing and snowboarding, will take place away from the main area. These events will take place at Krasnaya Polyana (Mountain Cluster)
Rosa Khutor Plateau Olympic Village
The opening ceremony of the Games was held on 7 February 2014. It was held from 20:14 to 23:02 local time. The Games were officially opened by Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. There was an audience of about 40,000 people. The performance part of the ceremony was mainly about Russian classical music. The pop duo t.A.T.u performed as well.
The site of the opening ceremony was Fisht Olympic Stadium. This was built just for the games. It will be used only for the opening and closing ceremonies.
In 2013, a law against 'homosexual propaganda' was made in Russia. Cher chose not to perform at the Winter Olympics because of the law.
On 27 January 2014, the mayor of Sochi said that there are no gay people living in Sochi.
On the first day of the Olympics, 7 February 2014, four gay rights activists were arrested in St Petersburg, including one pregnant woman.
Organizers received several threats prior to the Games. In a July 2013 video release, Chechen Islamist commander Dokka Umarov called for attacks on the Games, stating that the Games were being staged "on the bones of many, many Muslims killed ...and buried on our lands extending to the Red Sea."
Threats were received from the group Vilayat Dagestan, which had claimed responsibility for the Volgograd bombings under the demands of Umarov, and a number of National Olympic Committees had also received threats via e-mail, threatening that terrorists would kidnap or "blow up" athletes during the Games. However, while the IOC did state that the letters "[contained] no threat and appears to be a random message from a member of the public", the U.S. ski and snowboarding teams hired a private security agency to provide additional protection during the Games.
1944 Winter Olympics
The 1944 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were not held.
The games would have been held in 1944 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Cortina d'Ampezzo had won the right to host the event in June 1939.
The games were cancelled because of World War II.
1940 Winter Olympics
The 1940 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were not held.
The games were planned to be in Sapporo, Japan, but the Japanese organisers withdrew in 1938 because of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
The IOC decided to give the Winter Olympics to St. Moritz, Switzerland. There were some problems between the Swiss organisers and the IOC so the Games were cancelled again. The IOC then gave the 1940 Winter Olympics to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Garmisch-Partenkirchen had hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics. The Games were to be held from February 2 - 11 1940.
The games were cancelled because of World War II.
Alonso Berruguete
Alonso González de Berruguete, or (Alonso Berruguete) (1488 - 1561) was a Spanish painter, sculptor and architect. He is considered to be the most important sculptor of the Spanish Renaissance, and is known for his emotive sculptures, which had religious meanings.
Alonso Sánchez Coello
Alonso Sánchez Coello, (1531/32, Benifairó de les Valls, near Valencia - August 8, 1588, Madrid) was a portrait painter of the Spanish Renaissance. He was one of the pioneers of the great tradition of Spanish portrait painting.
Western European Union
The Western European Union (WEU) was a European defence and security organization. It was set up by Treaty of Brussels of 1948, West Germany and Italy joined in 1954. It should not be confused with the European Union (EU). The WEU headquarters were in Brussels. After the Cold War its functions were gradually transferred to the European Union and the Council of Europe. It was dissolved on 31 March 2011.
The Treaty of Brussels was signed by the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands on March 17, 1948. It was changed on October 23, 1954 when West Germany and Italy joined.
The WEU's three main aims are:
The WEU was led by a Council of Ministers, helped by a Council of Permanent Representatives (ambassadors). The Parliamentary Assembly eventually had the same members as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe). Social and cultural activities were handed to the Council of Europe to avoid duplication.
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night) is a firework festival in Britain. It remembers the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States government that is focused to monitor the oceans surrounding the United States and the atmosphere. NOAA warns people for dangerous weather, charts seas and sky, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to help understanding and stewardship of the environment. In addition to its civilian employees, NOAA research and operations are supported by 300 uniformed service members who make up the NOAA Corps.
NOAA is currently celebrating 200 years of Science, Service, and Stewardship.
Tracey Ullman
Dame Tracey Ullman, (born 30 December 1959) is a British-American comedian, actress, singer, dancer, screenwriter and author. She is most famous for being the host of her variety television show, "The Tracey Ullman Show".
Ullman was born in Buckinghamshire. She emigrated to the U.S. and ended up having her own network television series, "The Tracey Ullman Show", from which "The Simpsons" was spun off in 1989.
She was the voice of Little Lulu for a while.
The Tracey Ullman Show
The Tracey Ullman Show was a weekly American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and former pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the FOX network's second primetime series (after "Married... with Children"), and ran until May 26, 1990. The show featured sketch comedy along with many musical numbers, featuring Emmy Award-winning choreography by Paula Abdul. It also produced the hugely successful spin-off, "The Simpsons".
Joaquín Sorolla
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (February 27, 1863 – August 10, 1923), was a Spanish painter, born in Valencia. He excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes, and large works of social and historical themes. His most typical works are skillful pictures of the people and landscape under the Spanish sun.
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