Millennium celebrations
Countries around the globe held official festivities in the weeks and months leading up to the date, such as those organised in the United States by the White House Millennium Council, and most major cities produced firework displays at midnight.
Several countries in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and hence close to the International Date Line made arguments they were the first to enter the new millennium.
[3] The US Navy submarine Topeka positioned itself 400 metres (1,300 ft) underwater, straddling both the International Date Line and the Equator.
"[7] In Auckland, a fireworks display on the Harbour made New Zealand the first industrial nation to celebrate the year 2000, being just west of the International Date Line.
[8] Sydney, the host city of the 2000 Summer Olympics, held a large fireworks display centering on the Harbour Bridge, with the locally famous graffito Eternity being recreated.
Following the conclusion of the concert at 23:59:59 on 31 December (a second before midnight), the band disbanded and could be seen disappearing into a portal of light leaving the stage.
President Joseph Estrada and top government officials joined celebrations at the Rizal Park (which was broadcast on ABS-CBN, PTV, ABC (now TV5), RPN and IBC), while at the Ayala Millennium Center, Regine Velasquez sang the Philippine Millennium Theme Song, "Written in the Sand" at the top of the Peninsula Manila at about ten minutes to the Philippine midnight as part of the Philippine presentation on 2000 Today (Global Millennium Day broadcast on GMA).
This was overshadowed by the return of Indian Airlines Flight 814's passengers and crew, who arrived home from Afghanistan after being held hostage for a week.
[20] For the Coptic minority in Egypt, the turn of the millennium was unfortunately not a happy time as a wave of persecution against the Copts started on 31 December and continued into January as a massacre.
In Jerusalem, and particularly at the Mount of Olives, fears that doomsday fanatics "...could try to trigger an apocalypse prompted one of Israel's biggest peacetime police operations.
"[4] Paris was the focal point of celebrations in France where searchlights and 20,000 strobe lights for the event were installed on the Eiffel Tower.
[24] In Madrid, star-shaped balloons were set up at midnight on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol Square.
In London, attention focused around Big Ben, as well as the opening of the Millennium Dome with which Prime Minister Tony Blair, his wife Cherie, and Queen Elizabeth II attended.
[30] In Cardiff, Wales, Welsh band, Manic Street Preachers held a concert at the Millennium Stadium.
The Irish national radio and television organisation RTÉ produced a marathon 19-hour broadcast called Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000, while the BBC in the United Kingdom headed an international 28-hour event known as 2000 Today.
[31][32][33] One member, Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies died of a heart attack there on 2 January at the age of 89.
In Newfoundland (UTC−3:30), a concert was held that was broadcast to thousands of Canadians as the island celebrated being the first place in North America to welcome the 21st century.
In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien presided over celebrations on Parliament Hill, which included artistic performances and a midnight fireworks display launched from the Peace Tower.
[40] In Montreal, thousands attended a Celine Dion millennium concert at Molson Centre, which concluded her Let's Talk About Love World Tour.
[44] Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, in Madison Square Garden, Billy Joel was performing a special concert to celebrate the new millennium.
A millennium celebration was held at Walt Disney World in Florida, primarily at the Epcot theme park.
At the first set, during the last few minutes before 2000, the band played their song "Towering Fool" which was then followed by a brief "Countdown Jam" for the remainder of the old year.
[44] Singer Neil Diamond sang "America" during a concert given by him at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado and incorporated the Mountain Time millennium countdown and celebrations into the performance.
[59] At Disneyland, a minute before midnight, Sorcerer Mickey appeared on Sleeping Beauty Castle, shooting a giant stream of fire to the top of the Matterhorn as the 2000 sign illuminated, kicking off the fireworks show.
