The world 30 years ago: a journey back to 1994

Thirty years is long enough to look back and take stock. If we travel back to 1994, we find that many things have changed since then. For instance, Leonardo DiCaprio, now a veteran of Hollywood, attended the Oscars that year, nominated for the first time as Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?'

Speaking of the Oscars, 1994 was the year Steven Spielberg won 7 of his 12 nominations for 'Schindler's List,' including Best Picture and Best Director, while Tom Hanks took home the Oscar for Best Actor for 'Philadelphia.'

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In cinemas, we saw 'The Shawshank Redemption,' 'The Lion King,' 'Forrest Gump,' 'Pulp Fiction,' and 'The Mask.'

'Friends' came into our lives and hearts, never to leave again. It became a television phenomenon that captivated several generations.

1994 wasn't just the year 'Friends' debuted; TV audiences were also glued to 'ER,' which premiered and quickly became a ratings juggernaut. 'Seinfeld,' already a cultural phenomenon, continued to dominate with its unique brand of humor, alongside 'The X-Files,' which tapped into the era’s growing interest in conspiracy theories and the supernatural.

Music in 1994 was marked by major hits that defined the decade. Ace of Base's 'The Sign' and Boyz II Men's 'I'll Make Love to You' dominated the charts, while Soundgarden's 'Black Hole Sun' became an anthem of the alternative rock scene. Meanwhile, Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You,' released late in the year, started its journey to becoming a perennial holiday favorite.

In a tragic moment for pop culture, the world said goodbye to Kurt Cobain, the leader of Nirvana, who took his own life in April 1994.

The fashion scene in 1994 was characterized by a mix of grunge and minimalism. Flannel shirts and ripped jeans were everywhere, thanks in part to the lingering influence of bands like Nirvana. At the same time, high fashion began embracing simpler, more streamlined designs, with Kate Moss epitomizing this trend with her 'heroin chic' look, marked by pale skin, dark circles under eyes, and waifish figures.

Society magazines were filled with events like the spectacular wedding of Céline Dion and René Angélil at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Canada.

The American press also covered the arrest of former American football player and actor O.J. Simpson, who was accused of murdering his ex-partner, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. His lawyer was none other than the father of the Kardashians, Robert Kardashian... who would have guessed where that story went..

Michael Schumacher began to forge his legend in 1994, when he won his first Formula 1 World Championship in November 1994, in the last race in Australia.

In Formula 1, the weekend of April 30 will always be remembered. That Saturday, during the qualifying session at the Imola circuit, Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger lost his life. Just a day later, Brazilian three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna also died at the same circuit.

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Between April and July 1994, one of the darkest chapters in the history of Rwanda unfolded. According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around 800,000 people were killed due to a conflict between the three ethnic groups of the country (Hutus, Tutsis, and Twa).

On May 4, 1994, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli prime minister, signed the implementation of Palestinian autonomy for Gaza and the Jericho area.

In 1994, Nelson Mandela's election as president of South Africa marked the end of apartheid.

In the United States, farewells were bid to two significant figures in recent history: Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of the assassinated president John F. Kennedy and Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis, who passed away on May 19, 1994; and Richard Nixon, president of the United States from 1969 to 1974, who died on April 22.

On May 6, 1994, the Eurotunnel was inaugurated, one of the greatest engineering works of the time, connecting France and the United Kingdom under the English Channel.

Jeffrey Dahmer, the American sexual predator and serial killer known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Monster of Milwaukee, was murdered at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin, by his cellmate Christopher Scarver.

On July 17, 1994, in Los Angeles, the final of the Soccer World Cup in the United States was played. And Brazil won the World Cup, defeating Italy in a penalty shootout.

The world of video game consoles was revolutionized in 1994 with the launch of the first PlayStation, released in Japan on December 3, 1994.

In technology, 1994 saw the rise of the Internet as a commercial platform, following the lifting of restrictions on the commercial use of the net in 1993. This year marked the launch of Yahoo! and Amazon's founding by Jeff Bezos, which would later revolutionize the retail landscape.

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