2000 HELLO HELLO MMILLENNIUMILLENNIUM 1999 CCELEBRATIONSELEBRATIONS GOODBYE GOODBYE A lot of people approached the end of 1999 with trepi- dation. There were reports that aeroplanes would fall out of the sky at the stroke of midnight. All computers would crash, leading to world turmoil and people would wake up to a world EXAMPLE IMAGE NOT COPYRIGHT that they did not recognise. CLEARED By Sharon RM Stevens n acknowledgement of this huge mile- Istone in the World’s calendar, most countries and or cities decided to meet the momentous occasion in various ways. Some planned fixed structures to celebrate, while others met the New Year by changing Brighton millennium celebration, image from the Zap archive names of buildings, cities etc. Still, others EXAMPLE IMAGE planned firework displays beyond anything NOT COPYRIGHT anyone had ever CLEARED seen. In an attempt to capture events Tower el ff at the turn of the century, led by the BBC and WGBH-TV and several other EXAMPLE IMAGE companies, the NOT COPYRIGHT CLEARED 2000 Today pro- gramme was cre- Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the opening of the Millennium Dome Fireworks burst from the Ei ated. It was to be a way of encapsulating the worldwide New the New year. Samoa being the last. Year events over a 28hour period, starting However, it was later controversially from 31st of December 1999 to the 1st of reported that the first country to cele- January 2000. The TV coverage of New brate the dawning of 2000 was, in fact, Year celebrations would span across sev- the Chatham Islands, New Zealand. The eral countries, using over 70 international inhabitants of the South Pacific island cel- broadcasters, starting at the Line Islands. ebrated by having a cross-cultural Maori The Line Islands were supposedly the first and Christian blessing on the beach, while region in the world to see the dawning of young children sang. A beacon was lit as Prada Fall 2000 advertisement - not copyright cleared RETROSPECT 12 RETROSPECT 13 RRetrospectetrospect MMagazineagazine ddesignesign llayout.inddayout.indd 112-132-13 227/05/20207/05/2020 112:51:362:51:36 MILLENIUM CELEBRATIONS they looked out to the Pacific were all ways to commemorate There were reportedly 3 million ment as part of the televised India agreed to release six pris- cast. Attendance was by ticket Ocean. A couple orchestrated the new century. Then later people who came to see the worldwide celebrations. oners in exchange for their free- only with VIP costing one thou- 2000 that they completed their wed- in the year, the Tate Modern spectacle with the striking back- dom. Thankfully, the New Year sand Egyptian pounds and ding vows as the new year was opened drop of the London In Australia, there were sev- was still celebrated with a fire- the cheaper ticket costing fifty began. They were reported as to memorialise Eye and Big Ben. eral events. In Auckland, there work display in New Delhi. Egyptian pounds. HELLO being the first couple of the year the Millennium Other minor cit- was a firework display over the to be married. too. There was ies in the UK, had Sydney Harbour Bridge. There elson Mandela lit a candle Not all countries celebrated 1999 a magnificent their celebrations was a party costing approxi- N in a cell on Robben Island, with a firework display and or ondon had several ways of fireworks dis- too, for instance, mately $2000 per head, at the South Africa to concerts. A few L recognising the New Year. play, the River Birmingham held Sydney Opera House. There mark the stroke had their own “Passengers and GOODBYE Some in the form of fixed struc- of Fire, stretch- a concert at the were stage shows that incorpo- of midnight. The cultural and tra- tures, still in use today. The ing along the National Indoor rated the diversity of the conti- significance of crew had returned ditional interpre- opening of the Millennium River Thames Arena. There were nent, overseen with a reported this being, it home after being tations to cele- Bridge, the London Eye and the from the Victo- well-known stars 1,000,000 spectators. There was where he brate the New Millennium Dome (opened by ria Embankment of the time, who was a flotilla of yachts and spent 27 years in held hostage for Year in. For the Queen on New Year’s Eve) to South Bank. provided entertain- boats, with sails dressed and lit prison because six days on a fl ight instance, several up to look like the species of of his opposi- cities had drops Dove fl ying over from Afghanistan.” Manger Square marine life found in the har- tion to apartheid, at the stroke of EXAMPLE IMAGE in Bethlehem bour. The fireworks display for him this was midnight. Time NOT COPYRIGHT on that occasion was seen commemorating the closure of Square, USA, had a special CLEARED to be one of the world’s most his past life. The lit candle was drop made in acknowledge- WHO SAID HELLO impressive. It was made up then passed onto a young child, ment of the New Year, called TO 2000 FIRST? of approximately 200,000 thus representing hope for the Millennium Crystal Ball. The individual fireworks, culminat- South Africa’s future. This was motorised ball was made up of EXAMPLE IMAGE ing with the word Eternity, lit up. also the theme of the celebra- 504 Waterford Crystal triangles 1. Kiribati NOT COPYRIGHT Other celebrations included a tions before midnight on Table and 6000 bulbs encircled with 2. Samoa CLEARED presentation in Adelaide, con- Mountain. Where representa- 90 pyramid mirrors. It weighed 3. New Zealand cluding with a firework display tives of several spiritual church/ 485.3kg and was 1.83 meters 4. Part of Russia, Fiji at the Central Business District. groups met together and carried in diameter. It dropped without 5. Part of Australia, Micronesia out their religious symbolism a hitch, although there was a 6. Papua New Guinea In Tokyo, to mark the end contingency if there were any 7. Japan, South, part of Indonesia Japan the New of 1999 and the problems. There were several 8. China, Taiwan, Philippines Year was brought “In Tokyo, Japan beginning of the other drops throughout Amer- 9. Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia in with the ring- the New Year new era. This ica, there was the Peach, Peli- 10. Myanmar ing of the temple was brought in included singing, can and the Possum Drop. 11. Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan bells, which were prayer, beacons 12. Nepal rung 108 times with the ringing of and candles lit ach continent/country/city 13. India and Sri Lanka Sydney Harbor during the midnight celebrations to chase away the temple bells, to signify peace, Ehad its own official and 14. Pakistan, Maldives the forces of evil. hope and unity non-official celebrations some 15. Iran, Afghanistan The Tokyo Tower which were rung for South Africa. included cultural traditions/ 16. UAE, Oman, Azerbaijan was ablaze with 108 times to chase ceremonies etc. Spain with its 17. Lithuania, Finland, etc. lights, while there away the forces of Jean Michal Twelve Grape tradition, Beth- 18. The Czech Republic, Germany was a firework Jarre performed lehem releasing 2000 doves as 19. United Kingdom display after evil.” a new con- a symbol of peace, The Pope 20. Morocco, Iceland several concerts cert called The delivering his New Year’s bless- 21. Cape Verde throughout the night. Twelve Dreams of the Sun at ing in the Vatican Square and 22. Part of Canada the foot of the Pyramids in Giza, Paris with the Eiffel Tower lit up 23. Argentina and most of Brazil, ndia’s New Year celebrations Egypt. It was held in two parts, with 20,000 flashing lights. Just 24. Bahamas and Regions of USA Iwere pushed to the back of starting on 31st December to mention a few celebrations 25. Panama, Colombia, part of Maxico the news coverage because 1999 and ending on 1st Jan- that took place on the historic 26. Costa Rica, Honduras passengers and crew had uary 2000. The performance occasion spreading from 31st 27. Cook Islands returned home after being held cost approximately $9,500 000, December to 1st January 2000. 28. Much of US Minor Outlying Islands hostage for six days on a flight it was attended by 120,000 29. American Samoa from Afghanistan. Mercifully, all people and with another 3.5 155 people were released after billion viewers via live broad- Nelson Mandela lighting a candle on Robben Island Photo by: Brenton Geach RETROSPECTE R S C 114 RETROSPECT 15 RRetrospectetrospect MMagazineagazine ddesignesign llayout.inddayout.indd 114-154-15 227/05/20207/05/2020 112:51:372:51:37 1ST JANUARY Many musical artists London Children’s Choir and that portrayed a sense of were part of the 2000 Today a group of instrument per- the past, the future, and the broadcast and the Millen- formers from various coun- essence of what was hap- nium Countdown concert in tries joined together to per- pening across the UK. On the TTHEHE 22000000 TODAYTODAY LLIVEIVE Greenwich featured perfor- form A World Symphony for final bong, the first fireworks SMALL SCREEN SMALL mances from Eurythmics, the Millennium. were lit at Tower Bridge to BBROADCASTROADCAST EENDSNDS AATT Simply Red, Bryan Ferry and create one of the most dra- Martine McCutcheon. The n the minutes leading up to matic scenes of the night 113:303:30 programme’s anthem was a Imidnight, 2000 Today visited – a wall of flame along the version of Bob Marley’s song events around the country Thames to Vauxhall Bridge.