The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event featuring both summer and winter sports, held every two years with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. During Olympic Games opening ceremonies, the sitting president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will make a speech before inviting a representative from the host country to officially declare that particular Games open. The current Olympic Charter requires this person to be the head of state of the host country, although this has not always been the case. This article lists the people who have had the ceremonial duty to declare each Olympic Games open. Opening ceremony The IOC factsheet on the opening ceremony states: "According to the Olympic Charter protocol, the duty of declaring the Games officially open falls to the head of state of the host country. Those who have performed this task are royalty and presidents, or their representatives, whether it was a vice-president, a member of the royal family, or a governor-general". Rule 56 of Chapter 5 of the Olympic Charter sets out the exact words that are to be declared by the person opening the Games. If at a Summer Olympic Games, the words to be said are: I declare open the Games of [name of host city] celebrating the [number of the Olympiad] Olympiad of the modern era. When at a Winter Olympic Games, the dignitary opening the Games is to proclaim: I declare open the [number of the Olympic Winter Games] Olympic Winter Games of [name of host city]. However, this has not always been followed strictly; On 27 August 1960, Giovanni Gronchi, President of the Italian Republic, declares the Summer Olympics in Rome open by speaking in Italian: "I proclaim the opening of the Olympic Games of Rome, celebrating the XVII Olympiad of the modern era." On 10 October 1964, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, opened the Summer Olympics in Tokyo by speaking in Japanese: "Celebrating the XVIII modern Olympiad, we hereby declare the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games." On 12 October 1968, Mexican president Gustavo Diaz Ordaz opened the Games of Mexico City in Spanish: "Today, 12 October 1968, I declare inaugurated the Olympic Games in Mexico, that commemorate the XIX Olympiad of the modern era." On 26 August 1972, German president Gustav Heinmann opened the Games of Munich speaking in German: "I declare the Olympic Games Munich 1972, celebrating the XX Olympiad of the modern