The opening of the 25th Winter Olympic Games took place in Italy. The main event was held on Friday, February 6, at the famous "San Siro" stadium in Milan, which accommodates 80,000 spectators.
The opening ceremony also covered three other cities — Cortina d'Ampezzo, Predazzo, and Livigno. These locations are significantly far from each other, and some sports events began before the official opening, which prevented many athletes from attending in Milan. All events were combined into a single television broadcast.
The musical part of the program combined classical and modern works: compositions by Vivaldi and Rossini were played, as well as performances by artists such as Mariah Carey and Italian rapper Ghali. The highlight of the evening was a performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli with the aria Nessun dorma from Puccini's opera "Turandot".
As part of the event, there was also a fashion show featuring models in the colors of the Italian flag, where the Armani house presented its collections in memory of Giorgio Armani, who passed away in September at the age of 91. The brand is the official outfitter of the Italian team at the 2026 Winter Games.
The ceremony concluded with a unique lighting of the Olympic flame simultaneously in two locations: at the Arch of Peace in Milan and at Dibon Square in Cortina d'Ampezzo, marking a first in the history of the Olympic Games.
The closing ceremony will take place in the ancient amphitheater in Verona, which has existed for over two thousand years. It is expected that around 12,000 spectators will be able to attend, marking the first time the Olympic Games will conclude at a site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kazybek Moldazhiyev, the director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports under the Government of Kyrgyzstan, participated in the main opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
Before the event, Kazybek Moldazhiyev wished good luck to Kyrgyz athletes Artur Saparbekov and Timur Shakirov, expressing confidence that they would honor the Kyrgyz Republic and achieve high results.
