<P> Months before each Games, the Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia in a ceremony that reflects ancient Greek rituals . A female performer, acting as a priestess, ignites a torch by placing it inside a parabolic mirror which focuses the sun's rays; she then lights the torch of the first relay bearer, thus initiating the Olympic torch relay that will carry the flame to the host city's Olympic stadium, where it plays an important role in the opening ceremony . Though the flame has been an Olympic symbol since 1928, the torch relay was only introduced at the 1936 Summer Games to promote the Third Reich . </P> <P> The Olympic mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in 1968 . It has played an important part of the Games' identity promotion since the 1980 Summer Olympics, when the Russian bear cub Misha reached international stardom . The mascot of the Summer Olympics in London was named Wenlock after the town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire . Much Wenlock still hosts the Wenlock Olympian Games, which were an inspiration to Pierre de Coubertin for the Olympic Games . </P> <P> As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games . This ceremony takes place before the events have occurred . Most of these rituals were established at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp . The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem . The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theatre representative of its culture . The artistic presentations have grown in scale and complexity as successive hosts attempt to provide a ceremony that outlasts its predecessor's in terms of memorability . The opening ceremony of the Beijing Games reportedly cost $100 million, with much of the cost incurred in the artistic segment . </P> <P> After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation . Greece is traditionally the first nation to enter in order to honour the origins of the Olympics . Nations then enter the stadium alphabetically according to the host country's chosen language, with the host country's athletes being the last to enter . During the 2004 Summer Olympics, which was hosted in Athens, Greece, the Greek flag entered the stadium first, while the Greek delegation entered last . Speeches are given, formally opening the Games . Finally, the Olympic torch is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final torch carrier, often a successful Olympic athlete from the host nation, who lights the Olympic flame in the stadium's cauldron . </P>

How long have the olympics been going on