The Rio 2016 Organising Committee celebrated the handover of the Olympic Flag from the London 2016 Games to Rio with a party Sunday at Casa Brasil, in London’s Somerset House.
Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, waved the flag at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Closing Ceremony. A Rio 2016 banner was dropped from the balcony at the Portico Rooms in front off guests watching the live broadcast of the Games. The event included a selection of Brazilian musicians and DJs who played for the guests in the courtyard where there were large LED screens showing the Closing Ceremony of the Games.
Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of Rio 2016 and the Brazilian Olympic Committee said, “it is a very proud and significant moment to receive the Olympic flag for the next Olympic Games. We wanted to give the world a taste of what to expect for 2016 within the Closing Ceremony.
“We also wanted to celebrate this occasion for those who were not able to join us at the Olympic Stadium by hosting a special event at Casa Brasil. We have been very impressed by the London 2012 Olympic Games and we will be returning to Rio de Janeiro with many valuable insights from our time in London and we look forward to welcoming the world to our city in four years time”.