Traditional Chinese dance, Brazilian Samba, African drums...a string of themed peformances and aureate fireworks marked the opening of the 1st Lusofonia Games on Saturday evening in Macao Stadium.

Together with more than 40 huge-sized figures of the Games' emblem, all 2,500 performers joined 1,000 local students in the opening ceremony of the Games bringing the 17,000 audience into a crazy atmosphere in the session Coming Together.

Bright red Asia, green Brazilian Samba fever, blue Portuguese melody, Macao flavors in purple, and golden yellow shining on African drums; every time the color of lights changed on the stage, the audience experienced the essense of a place's culture.

The stadium falled into the Time of China, a performance that began with Chinese dancers in their traditional costumes, dancing lithely and gracefully under red theme lights to feature the notion of luck, wealth and good fortune that the color red represented.

Right after the gentle Chinese dance, the audience were soon infected by the high spirit of passionate Brazilian samba dancers and vaudevillians who brought along their carnival affections to the stadium by showing their passion through body movements and playing with distinctive props.

Euphonic sound of a well-known vocalist from Portugal inebriated every one in the venue. While she echoed affectionately, paintings of large patterns of Portuguese characteristics were projected onto white canvases unfolding the art of Portuguese culture.

Under purplish lighting, people enjoyed the Portuguese folk dance and local band which fully presented the unique flavor of Macao.

Drums resounded in all four corners, flames burnt brilliantly striking the whole venue and hearts vibrated to the beating drums of performers from Africa and Macao.

As the drums beat faster, the flames burnt brighter, music and motion interacted to refelct a performance of golden flame, overwhelming the audience with the most dynamic and distinguishing nature in the Lusofonia world.

Following was marching-in of athletes. Some 700 athletes from 11 countries and regions across four continents -- Asia, Africa, South America and Europe -- taking part in the Games entered the stadium amid African drums beats and tremendous applause.

When it came to torch tower lighting, athletes representing each of the four continents carried a torch to light torch tower. Collected from Portuguese-speaking countries and regions across four continents, the sacred flame denotes peace.

Under the witness of all guests and spectators attending the ceremony, the four athletes escorted the flames from the storage lamp to the cauldron and ignited the eternal flame of the Lusofonia Games.

Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman of the 1st Lusofonia Games Organizing Commitee Manuel Silverio said that the Games brought together high level athletes and world championship medalists and provided them with a rare and precious opportunity to compete with each other and further enchance their skills.

Four continents, one language, the Games confirmed Macao's role as the platform for the manifold cooperation among China and Portuguese speaking countries and regions and demonstrated the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in the city, he said.

Organized by the 1st Lusofonia Games Organizing Commitee, the Games aims to encourage sports development and to promote the diverse cultures that belong to the circle of Lusofonians.

Participating countries and regions include Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Macao of China, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, East Timor as well as India and Sri Lanka, associate members of the Association of the Portuguese Speaking Olympic Committees.

Athletes will compete in eight competition sports including athletics, basketball, football, futsal, taekwondo, table tennis, volleyball and beach volleyball in the nine-day sports carnival for a total of 169 medals.