On Tuesday December fifteen the twenty fourth World Memory Championships were declared open in an impressive three hour ceremony in the giant domed conference centre of the Jintang Hengda hotel.
The ceremony featured a Smorgasbord of traditional Chinese Cultural Manifestations such as: Taichi by a Grand Grandmaster of the art; Chinese ballet and operatic dancing; Calligraphy and acrobatics.
Professor Tony Buzan ,Co Founder and President of the Organising Committee, welcomed dignitaries, competitors, officials and honoured guests. He announced , as a key component of his drive for Planetary Mental Literacy, the rebirth of Synapsia magazine which will report in depth on the Championships, and accorded the accolade of Warriors of the Mind to all competing Mentathletes. Everyone present was invited to contribute their stories to Synapsia , all past issues of which are now fully archived online and which is about to publish its first new groundbreaking online issue.
Meanwhile David Zhang President of the China Memory Sports Council thanked our sponsors who have enabled us to offer the most lavish conditions, the highest prizes and to attract a world record number of entries. This latter point was made manifest by the player parade of twenty four national flags, captured on film and camera by batteries of TV media and press.
His Serene Highness Prince Marek Kasperski delivered an important address in which he expounded on the new expansion, increased globality and enhanced democratic strength of the World Memory Sports Council. In the course of his speech Prince Marek congratulated WMSC on a most significant recent achievement. By virtue of the efforts of General Secretary Chris Day, and following on the Mind Map teaching record by WMSC member and Brain Trust Charity Brain of the Year Dr Manahel Thabet, the WMSC now officially supervises global Mental achievement for The Guinness Book of World Records.
The Championships were officially declared open by Executive Chairman of the Organising Committee Mr Cheng Cigao.
WMSC officials present and presiding were:
Prof Tony Buzan; Ray Keene OBE Co founders; Phil Chambers Chief Arbiter; eight times world Memory Champion Head of Ethics and Deputy Chief Arbiter Dominic O Brien; Level four arbiters Andy Fong Angel Lai and Elaine Colliar; level two arbiters Guo Chanwei and Sophie Huang; President of China Memory Sports Council David Zhang; WMSC members Their Serene Highnesses Prince Marek and Princess Petrina Kasperski and Alexander Keene MA.
Proceedings were concluded with official Photographs followed by Prof Buzan being mobbed and almost submerged by a feeding frenzy of eager fans, competitors, young kids buzzing with energy and excitement and of course the media throngs!
Let the Games commence!