sending a message of hope to all the many millions of refugees around the globe. you had to flee from your homes because of violence, hunger or just because you were different. now, with your greatest talent and human spirit, you are making a great contribution to society. in this olympic world, we do not just tolerate diversity. in this olympic world, we welcome you as an enrichment to our unity in diversity. [ cheers and applause ]

there are millions of people around the world who contribute in different ways to make our world a better place through sport. to honor such outstanding personalities who put sport at the service of humanity, the international olympic committee has created a unique distinction which we award for the first time now. ladies and gentlemen, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the fields of education, culture, development, and peace through sport, in the true olympic spirit, the olympic laurel is awarded to the great olympic champion, and great

olympic philanthropist. i am an olympian gold medalist and olympic recordholder. it is a home of athletes. when i was young, 8 years old, i used to run all way from my home to school. so i was really training without knowing. ♪ ♪

my dad is the only one who would take care of me. so after my running, what i did, i started the children home with my wife. taking care of orphan kids to give them shelter and education. having a children's home, we started a school. high school. and also the training center. and through sports, we can produce peaceful life in this world. ♪ ♪ >> hello. good afternoon. >> education is a weapon. it doesn't cause any

destruction, instead it can create peace. ♪ ♪ we came into the world with nothing, we will leave this world with nothing. all we need is peace, love and unity. ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, kip keino!

[ applause ] ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ]

>> now, let us celebrate altogether. olympic games, a la brazil. [ speaking portuguese ] [ cheers and applause ] the fireworks lighting the night

sky. the opening ceremony now, more formal protocol section. we are waiting for the arrival of the olympic flag, the olympic flame. >> lighting of the caldron. >> ladies and gentlemen, the olympic flag. always a beautiful moment at any olympic opening ceremony. eight prominent people from the host country having a chance to carry the olympic flag into the stadium.

this is emanuel rego, beach volleyball, three medals including gold. in five straight olympics starting in 1996. rosa celia pimentel. doctor and activist. offering no cost treatment for kids with health disease. >> sandra pires. beach volleyball player. won gold in olympic beach volleyball competition in 1996. also won the bronze medal in 2000. sandra pires. this is torbin greille, sailor,

five medals. golds in 1996. and in 2004. joaquim cruz, next, track star. won 800 meter gold in l.a. 800 meter silver in seoul. the brazil flagbearer in the 1996 atlanta games. next is marta silva played soccer. pele once called her "pele with a skirt." player of the year. an olympic silver medalist. all time leading scorer in women's world cup.

ellen gracie northeilles. first woman that went to the brazil supreme court. first female president of the brazil's supreme court. that rousing round of applause is for the basketball player, all-time leading scorer in olympic basketball history. let's listen. oscar schmidt. he was inducted into the basketball hall of fame in 2013. ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the olympic anthem.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ olympic flag immortal spirit ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> local choir singing the olympic anthem. we are back with a samba party from rio after this.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ come seek the royal caribbean back in rio, who is ready for a party? >> i am. >> i am. >> if you have never been to carnival here, you are about to

get a very good sample of what the energy is like. ♪ ♪ [ speaking portuguese ] >> this is a rio-born percussionist, 80 years old. >> dejuan lucas, dancing samba since he could walk, he was "born in samba" the expression that brazilians use. did i say i am in love.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> all of these people you see marching in, samba dancing, they're from samba school. meredith is busy googling where she can buy the outfit. they actually compete every carnival. but tonight they're not competing with each other. they're just having a good time. i love the costumes. ♪ ♪ >> this is anitta, 23-year-old pop singer from rio.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> like people that are bold enough to give it a go. ♪ ♪ >> we have to tell you a couple nights ago, meredith told hoda and me she actually went to youtube and looked up samba videos so she could learn the samba. to be honest, nothing she showed us resembles what is going on on the floor right now. >> that is so unfair. i just couldn't go as fast as they can. besides, it is all in the way

you think about it. all in the mind. in my mind i am just doing really well. >> anitta, caetano veloso, and gilberto gil, with the samba here in rio. >> ladies and gentlemen, the olympic flame. here comes the olympic flame now into this stadium. after a relay that has lasted for a very long time. it would seem for the brazilian people.

visited 500 towns. all state capitals of brazil. 12,000 torch bearers have brought it to this final point. the man carrying the torch, gustavo kuerten, tennis star, three time french open champ, ranked number one. he is entering the stadium right now. >> the olympic flame is being carried by --

gustavo kuerten, two time champion, former number one in the world. gustavo kuerten! [ cheers and applause ] >> now, he passes the torch to one of the greatest female brazilian basketball players of all time.

♪ ♪ and she hands the flame to this man, vanderlei de lima, former marathoner, 46-year-old. remember athens in 2004, he was leading the olympic marathon when a spectator attacked him. he went from first to third. he received an incredible sportsmanship award. but tonight, he gets something better. tonight, he gets to light the olympic caldron in his home country.

[ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> there must be 20,000 portable phone cameras capturing this inside this stadium right now. smaller caldron than we have

seen in the past, reflected beautifully in the mirrored chandelier almost behind it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

so the caldron has been lit. the first full day of competition tomorrow. want to tell you to stay tuned for the emmy nominated tonight show with jimmy fall on, jerry seinfeld, seth rogan. for meredith vieira and hoda kotb, i'm matt lauer. we have had a blast in rio, the games are under way after an opening ceremony to remember. good night, everybody. ♪ ♪

let the games begin. brazil shows off to the planet with the opening ceremony. we're live in rio with access you didn't see on tv. fbi raid. agencies truck loads of evidence in the city, and south jersey, connected to a power union boss. concert collapse.

several people hurt at a wiz khalifa/snoop dogg show. nbc 10 news starts now. ♪ >> 2016 olympic games officially end way. the start of the first summer games ever in south america. team usa brings the biggest delegation and prepares to dominate the medal count, starting now. i'm jacquelyn london live in rio de janeiro, brazil where the buzz of tonight's opening saer moan is still in the air tonight, and the cauldron was just lit as brazil captured the world's attention this evening. during an opening ceremony that started a storm. flying high over maracana

stadium. and gisele bundchen took to social media. jordan burroughs stole a pic with serena williams. as did nba star kyle lowry. and a pic with michael phelps. fireworks illuminated the night skies. finally, it was time for the parade of nations. team usa announced in portuguese. led by the most decorated olympian of all time, michael phelps. the delegation with the most women. sharing their quest for gold, it's an american dream. rio olympic organizers worked with a tiny budget. they had $56 million for four ceremonies. to put that in perspective for

you, the 2008 olympic games in beijing spent 20 times more than that. over the last few days, we've seen a lot of security in rio de janeiro, brazil, gearing up for the games to make sure everything goes smoothly. we are joined live from an opening ceremony watch party. here's more on that. >> reporter: one of the olympic watch parties here at the pea ah sa wrapped up. you can see behind us, this was one of many watch parties in our area. now we all know that the olympics are a global-planned event. it's very complex. what we want to know is how these games go off safely without a hitch. although english gardner doesn't compete until next week, her family is happy to see the olympic games have begun. the gardeners invited nbc 10 to an opening ceremony watch party

with their loved ones, english's biggest fans. >> it's been amazing, and it's really surreal for us to be here right now. >> it's amazing to see her live out her dreams. >> reporter: mom and dad say they talk to english every day. conversations to staying focussed to staying safe. >> i tell her all the time. you have to be aware of your surroundings. >> reporter: nbc news works 1,000 u.s. spies are working security detail along with navy and marine commandos. >> it's not surprising to see that the orc ganizers are askin for outside help. >> reporter: she says recent terror attacks and internal political turmoil have put organizers on alert for disruption. she recalls the beijing games as the most recent olympics to shift from laid-back toh