VERONA (ITALPRESS) – The inaugural ceremony of the Winter Paralympic of Milan Cortina 2026 is taking place at the Arena di Verona. The Games, which will close on the 15th, will take place in the three clusters of Milan (Para ice hockey), Cortina (alpine skiing, curling in wheelchair, snowboard) and Val di Fiemme (biathlon and cross-country skiing). At the ceremony – preceded by the WeFly performance! Team and Ali for All, two Italian acrobatic teams, formed by pilots with and without disabilities, who flew over the Arena just before the beginning – are present, among others, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the premier Giorgia Meloni and the Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi.
The tricolor makes its entrance into the Arena. To bring the flag is the model and influencer Carlotta Bertotti, who then handed it to Veronica Yoko Plebani, triatleta delle Paralimpiadi both summer and winter and model, one of the symbol figures of inclusive sport and positive body in Italy. It is then the moment of the hymn of Mameli, sung by Mimì, winner of X Factor 2024, accompanied by Geneva Nervi, talented Italian music producer, and an Alpine Choir of Verona.
Then begins the parade of delegations. As announced by the International Paralympic Committee, the flags are entrusted to the volunteers since some countries had made known that they would not send their athletes, who for logistic reasons – tomorrow at 9.30 am the first races are scheduled – who for political reasons (seven Committees) as protest against the re-admission of Russians and Belarusians with symbols and hymns. To parade will be 55 Paralympic Committees and not 56 seen the absence of Iran: the only athlete enrolled, the Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, could not reach Italy because of the situation in the Middle East. Applause for Italy that closed the parade. To applaud also President Sergio Mattarella and President of the Council Giorgia Meloni. Before the blues are paraded the United States, which will host the next Olympics and Summer Paralympics. It also welcomed the Ukrainian delegation.
The inaugural ceremony comes alive with the time of Chiara Bersani, a disabled performer who has been able to impose himself on creativity and credibility. Accompanied by the dance body of the ceremony, the artist traces with a gesture a blade of light. A sign that could recall the cuts of Lucio Fontana, or a virtual sign that creates detachment with the past, with a world where not all were accepted and placed in a position to express themselves. The winner of X Factor Italia 2024, Mimì Caruso, Geneva Nervi and the Vocale Gruppo Novecento directed by Maurizio Saquegna instead performed the Inno di Mameli.
MATTARELLA INCONTRA PARSONS, DE SANCTIS E MALAGO’
The president of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, before entering the Arena of Verona for the opening of the Paralympics of Milan-Cortina 2026, met Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, Marco Giunio De Sanctis, president of the Italian Paralympic Committee, and Giovanni Malagò, president of the Fondazione Milano-Cortina.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
