Translated with AI
The Winter Olympic Games officially begin in Italy. The opening ceremony will take place on Friday evening in the north of the country, hosted by Milan. According to the approved program, the ceremonies begin at 8:00 PM local time.
The opening ceremony will feature renowned figures from around the world in culture and art. Performances will include Italian singer Andrea Bocelli, American singer and five-time Grammy Award winner Mariah Carey, Golden Globe winner for Best Original Song Laura Pausini, Italian rapper Ghali, and Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang. Italian actors Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Matilda De Angelis will also take part. The theme of the opening ceremony is "Harmony." Tickets range from €260 to €2,000.
Leaders from several countries are expected to attend the opening ceremony. US Vice President J.D. Vance, along with his wife, Usha, and their children, is in Italy. During his visit, he attended a match between the US women's hockey team and the Czech Republic. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta will also participate in the ceremony.
The Italian side will be represented at the ceremony by the country's President Sergio Mattarella and the President of the International Olympic Committee Kirsty Coventry.
The Olympic Games will run until February 22. More than 2,900 athletes from 92 national teams, as well as neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus, will participate in the competition. The largest representation comes from the United States, Canada, and Italy.
The competitions will be held not only in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the main Olympic host cities, but also at 11 other venues in northern Italy. A total of 116 medal events will be contested during the Games.
For the first time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games, athletes from Benin, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and the United Arab Emirates will take part in the competition.
This year, the Olympic program includes ski mountaineering for the first time, with men's and women's sprint events and a mixed relay. New disciplines are also debuting in skeleton, luge, freestyle skiing, and large hill jumping.
The stoats Tina and Milo have become the mascots of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Around 2 million fans are expected to attend the competitions. Tickets for the sporting events range from $30 to $1,400.
Olympic villages are located in Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno, Bormio, Predazzo, and Rasun Anterselva. Most national teams will be staying in the Olympic villages, while the Norwegian team has chosen to accommodate its athletes in a hotel.
Italy has previously hosted the Olympic Games three times: the Winter Games in 1956, the Summer Games in 1960, and the Winter Games in 2006.
