2000 Today

​2000 Today was the BBC’s and PBS’s 25+-hour internationally broadcast television special – history’s longest continuous live broadcast – celebrated the dawning of the year 2000 from virtually every region of the globe. Events kicked off in the South Pacific on a holy mountain top of New Zealand's East Cape as Maori warriors danced to prepare for a new age and with an acrobatic ballet on the sails of Sydney Opera House. Other events included Nelson Mandela hosting a joyous celebration of freedom from Robben Prison Island off Cape Town; an observation on the origins of the universe from the South Pole; the royal opening of the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, England; joie de vivre emanating from the Champs Elysées, lined with dozens of huge Ferris wheels; love songs performed from the Taj Mahal; a Sun ritual celebrated from Machu Pichu; and, orchestras, dance groups, touring shows, and internationally renowned artists including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Nana Mouskouri, Ray Charles, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Harry Connick Jr., Aretha Franklin, and The Gypsy Kings performing from around the world in a full day and night of entertainment and reflection. Gwen Ifill of PBS’s NewsHour and Washington Week in Review hosted for PBS.

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Headed by the BBC in the UK and GBH in the U.S., 2000 Today was produced and televised by an international consortium of 60 broadcasters. The editorial board included ABC (Australia), CBC (Canada), CCTV (China), ETC (Egypt), RTL (Germany), SABC (South Africa), TF1 (France), TV Asahi (Japan), TV Globo (Brazil), and ABC (USA). 2000 Today also included an original soundtrack album by Dan Tun with “2000 Today A World Symphony for the Millennium” performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the London Voices, the New London Children's Choir, and soprano Susan Botti. 

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2000 Today reached more than a billion people worldwide.