Hope arrived on a tram.
I watched President Mattarella ride through Milan like any ordinary citizen, sitting among passengers on tram number 26 — a deliberate nod to the year of these Games. The footage showed him picking up a dropped mascot toy for two little girls, nodding to musicians from La Scala carrying their instruments, and watching athletes board with skis slung over their shoulders. When he stepped off at San Siro and discovered Valentino Rossi had been driving the whole time — dressed in a tranviere's uniform — I laughed out loud from my wheelchair in Emilia-Romagna.
That's the Italy I love. The one that doesn't take itself too seriously, even when 67,000 people are watching and two billion more are tuned in from around the world.
The creative team chose "the key of low profile storytelling, a warm and familiar normality and a touch of presidential self-irony." They succeeded. Mattarella's tram wound through a "nearly enchanted" nocturnal Milan, touching the city's most symbolic places before arriving at the Meazza stadium
A Stadium Full of Strangers Becoming Neighbours
San Siro was packed. Sixty-seven thousand spectators filled every seat — the largest crowd ever for a Winter Olympics opening ceremony. The last tickets were sold right up to the wire, and the atmosphere crackled with anticipation.
I've spent years watching the world from this chair. Dystonia shaped my body since childhood — surgeries, setbacks, moments when giving up seemed reasonable. But here's what athletics teaches us: perseverance isn't about winning. It's about showing up .
Images of passion and brotherhood emerged from the stands: American fans stood next to Chinese ones, French beside German, all of them snapping selfies together before the show even started They arrived colourful and excited from early afternoon, waving flags, sharing snacks, becoming neighbours for an evening.
These athletes showed up. From 67 nations. Some delegations numbered in the hundreds; others consisted of a single person walking alone with a flag. The Madagascar portabandiera entered San Siro by himself, and the crowd roared for him anyway. Applause erupted too for Mexico, for Japan — whose athletes held both the Rising Sun flag and the Italian tricolore in their hands.
The Benin delegation made history: their first-ever participation in a Winter Olympics Saudi Arabia's athletes wore traditional clothing instead of technical sportswear. Cyprus sent just three people. Mongolia's two representatives dressed in deel — traditional cashmere robes of blue interwoven with yellow and red silk, embroidered with horns, inspired by the era of Genghis Khan
Every nation, every story, every dream — walking onto the same stage.
The Ceremony Begins: Amore e Psiche
The opening sequence belonged to dancers Claudio Coviello and Antonella Albano from La Scala, who brought to life the passion and rationality of Amore e Psiche. Their bodies moved through space like questions and answers, like the eternal dialogue between heart and mind.
I'm simplifying the symbolism here for you, but consider this: the Greeks believed Psyche represented the human soul, and Eros (Amore) represented divine love. Their union meant that the soul, through love, could achieve immortality. What better way to open Games dedicated to human excellence?
Matilda De Angelis appeared next, radiant in a black dress with a striking golden neckline, holding a conductor's baton She would "guide" the ceremony through Italy's artistic heritage, surrounded by performers wearing masks depicting the faces of great Italian composers tribute to Raffaella Carrà brought tears to my eyes. A dancer in a gold outfit and blonde bob recreated her iconic image as giant tubes of colour spilled across the San Siro pitch, filling the scene with performers in vibrant costumes — symbols of Italian creativity Mariah Carey took the stage.
In white and silver feathers, she sang "Nel blu dipinto di blu" — in Italian. Domenico Modugno's masterpiece, performed by an American superstar, in a stadium full of the world. The song means "In the blue painted blue," but everyone knows it as "Volare" — to fly.
We were all flying.
The Tricolore Rises
Giorgio Armani received his tribute as the stadium filled with the colours of the Italian flag. Top model Vittoria Ceretti carried the bandiera italiana onto the stage and delivered it to the corazzieri — the presidential guard.
Laura Pausini sang the national anthem while the tricolore was raised to flutter over the stadium Her voice filled every corner of San Siro, and I found myself mouthing the words from my living room.
Pierfrancesco Favino then recited "L'Infinito" by Giacomo Leopardi. The poem speaks of a hedge that blocks the view of the horizon, and how the imagination — confronting that limit — creates infinity. "E il naufragar m'è dolce in questo mare," Leopardi wrote. "And drowning in this sea is sweet to me."
I know something about limits. About hedges that block the view. About finding infinity anyway.
Sabrina Impacciatore and 100 Years of Winter Dreams
Sabrina Impacciatore entered the narrative, launching a visual journey through 100 years of Winter Olympics The story began with video footage and transformed into live action: memory taking physical form in a musical that developed on the notes of Celentano, building toward the electronic sounds of Mace.
The sequence reminded us that these Games carry history. Chamonix 1924. St. Moritz. Lake Placid. Innsbruck. Sarajevo. Lillehammer. Turin 2006, when Italy last hosted. And now Milano-Cortina 2026.
Each Olympics left its mark. Each generation of athletes pushed the boundaries of what seemed possible. Each flame passed from hand to hand, city to city, decade to decade.
Brenda Lodigiani, the comic actress who had animated the pre-show, returned to explain Italian gestures to foreign spectators Through a tribute to Bruno Munari — the artist and designer who catalogued Italian hand movements — she taught the world how we communicate without words.
A raised chin means "no." A hand rotating at the wrist means "what do you want?" Fingers pinched together, moving up and down, means... well, it means many things, depending on context.
The stadium laughed. Connection doesn't always require translation.
The Delegations March
Greece entered first, as tradition demands — the birthplace of the Olympic ideal leading the way Then the nations advanced in alphabetical order, a river of colour and pride flowing across the San Siro pitch.
The crowd made their feelings known. They cheered wildly for Ukraine's 46 athletes. An ovation erupted as the blue-and-yellow flag appeared, a roar of solidarity that echoed through the stadium and, I imagine, across the world.
They booed when certain figures appeared on screen. Whistles greeted the Israeli delegation. Whistles also greeted Vice President J.D. Vance when cameras found him in the stands
Sixty-seven thousand people, expressing themselves freely, passionately, imperfectly.
That's democracy. That's sport. That's life.
I support peace efforts and condemn all violence and extremism from all political sides. This isn't a political statement. It's a human one .
Italy Enters: A Dream Almost Impossible
The boato — the roar — that greeted the Italian delegation shook San Siro to its foundations. Arianna Fontana and Federico Pellegrino led the team onto the stage, and the stadium transformed into a single voice.
Fontana had met President Mattarella the day before at the Olympic Village. "Spending time with President Sergio Mattarella was truly an honour," she wrote on social media. "He stayed with us, listened to our stories, and offered words of support and encouragement that meant more than he probably knows. I had the privilege of sitting next to him and giving him our Italia Team jacket, a small gesture to thank him for the time and care he dedicated to us athletes".
At Cortina, Federica Brignone rode on Amos Mosaner's shoulders, waving the tricolore. "Being the flag bearer at home is something truly special," she said. "I'm so happy and emotional. It's a dream come true. From the beginning, I thought the best thing would be to arrive at the Olympics, because it's been a really hard path for me, and it still is today. Being here is really special: it was an almost impossible challenge" impossible. But she showed up anyway.
At Predazzo, 13 athletes from ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined marched together. At Livigno, 28 more from ski mountaineering, alpine skiing, freestyle, and snowboard. The ceremony was diffuse — spread across mountains and cities — just like Italy itself.
Ghali, Rodari, and the Rejection of War
Ghali stood at the centre of the stadium and recited "Promemoria" by Gianni Rodari — in Italian, French, and English .
The Milanese artist opened a powerful reflection on the rejection of war and the meaning of the Olympic truce. Rodari's poem is a memorandum, a reminder: there are things we must never forget. The cast performing the choreography was under twenty years old . They formed the shape of a dove at the end of the sequence, symbolising peace watched young bodies create the universal symbol of hope, and I thought about all the wars still burning across our planet. Ukraine. Gaza. Sudan. Myanmar. The list goes on.
The Olympic truce is an ancient tradition. In Greece, it was called ekecheiria — a sacred agreement to suspend hostilities before, during, and after the Games, so that athletes and spectators could travel freely and competitions could proceed without interruption.
Pope Leone XIV released a letter today calling for its revival. "I strongly encourage all Nations," he wrote, "on the occasion of the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, to rediscover and respect this instrument of hope that is the Olympic Truce, symbol and prophecy of a reconciled world". That word again.
Charlize Theron and the Messengers of Peace
Charlize Theron took the stage with a message inspired by Nelson Mandela . The UN Peace Ambassador spoke of hope, of unity, of the power of sport to transcend borders.
Fun fact: she was in the 2003 edition of "The Italian Job" . Milan knows her well.
The Olympic flag entered the arena carried by eight flagbearers — personalities who have distinguished themselves for advancing Olympic values They included Tadatoshi Akiba, Rebeca Andrade, Maryam Bukar Hassan, Eliud Kipchoge, Cindy Ngamba, Pita Taufatofua, Nicolò Govoni, and Filippo Grandiita Taufatofua from Tonga was there — bare-chested and grinning as always. He's the first Tongan athlete to compete in both Summer (Taekwondo) and Winter (Cross-Country Skiing) Olympic Games . His joy is infectious. His presence reminds us that the Olympics belong to everyone, not just the superpowers.
At Cortina, Franco Nones and Martina Valcepina carried the flag. The Olympic banner was raised simultaneously in San Siro and in the mountains — keeping with the diffuse theme of these Games .
The flagbearers are called "messengers of peace" . They've fought for the rights of refugee children, nuclear disarmament, women's rights, and other causes . They carry more than fabric. They carry our collective aspiration for a better world.
The Olympic Anthem: Cecilia Bartoli and Lang Lang
Cecilia Bartoli sang the Olympic anthem as the flag was raised She's an opera singer spanning 40 years, one of the most established mezzo-sopranos in the world . Her voice filled San Siro with a gravity that silenced the crowd.
Lang Lang accompanied her on piano, his fingers dancing across the keys. The children's choir of the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala joined them, their young voices rising like prayers.
The Olympic oath followed — the most solemn moment of the opening ceremony . Athletes, judges, and coaches swore to compete fairly. Then, in a jarring but somehow perfect contrast, the ceremony transitioned to EDM "Milano Cortina" with three big-headed opera maestro figures dancing.
That's quite the 180-degree turn in the span of a minute . But that's Italy too — solemnity and absurdity, tradition and innovation, all mixed together.
Nessun Dorma
Andrea Bocelli sang "Nessun Dorma" as torchbearers Beppe Bergomi and Franco Baresi — legends of Italian football — entered the stadium
Spine-tingling every time.
The song means "None shall sleep." It's about triumph over darkness, about the dawn that will come. Luciano Pavarotti made it famous at the 1990 World Cup in Italy . Now Bocelli's voice filled San Siro, and I thought about all the nights I couldn't sleep — after surgeries, during recoveries, when my body refused to cooperate with my mind.
None shall sleep. But morning comes anyway.
Behind Bocelli, the torchbearers delivered the Olympic flame to a group of three Italian athletes . When Bocelli hit the falsetto, the exchange took place — a moment of sheer beauty synchronised with musical transcendence . This famous gesture reinforced the collective nature of the Olympic Games .
Bergomi and Baresi initiated a symbolic relay that concluded by accompanying the flame out of the stadium. Two men who had spent their careers competing against each other — Inter and Milan, the eternal derby — united in service of something larger.
The Moment That Stopped My Breath
Then came Samantha Cristoforetti.
The scene shifted to the Arco della Pace — the Arc of Peace, and yes, that name matters The ESA astronaut appeared, accompanying a young girl toward the braciere-sole, the sun-shaped cauldron waiting to be lit
A woman who has orbited Earth, who has seen our planet as a fragile blue marble suspended in infinite darkness, guiding a child toward fire and light.
I'm simplifying the physics here for you, but consider this: the flame symbolises the sun and future . Cristoforetti has literally floated closer to that sun than almost any human alive. She's touched the void. She's conducted experiments in microgravity. She's looked down at Italy from 400 kilometres above and seen no borders, no wars, no divisions — just one beautiful, vulnerable world.
And there she stood, in Milan, helping a little girl understand the magic of space chest tightened. The ceremony's creative team designed this segment to celebrate "dialogues between generations and how education and vision can shape a better future" . They succeeded beyond measure.
The sequence that followed honoured Galileo Galilei — the Italian scientist who changed everything we know about our place in the cosmos . 108 performers created spinning circles of different colours, representing the solar system, Earth's role within it, the vastness that humbles us and elevates us simultaneously .
Science teaches us that the universe is vast and indifferent. But sport teaches us something else: that humans, small and fragile as we are, can choose to be kind .
I founded FreeAstroScience because I believe knowledge should unite us, not divide us. Watching Italy weave astronomy into an Olympic ceremony felt like vindication. Like someone understood.
Two Flames, One Hope
Here's something beautiful about Milano-Cortina 2026: there are two Olympic flames. One in Milan, one in Cortina. Two cauldrons lit simultaneously.
Enrico Fabris received the torch from Manuela Di Centa in front of the Arco della Pace and passed it to the final two torchbearers: Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni. They lit the Milan cauldron together — two legends of Italian skiing, united in this moment.
At the same instant, in Cortina, Sofia Goggia lit the mountain flame The two-time Olympic downhill medallist had been among the last torchbearers, carrying the fire through the final stretch .
The cauldron design draws from Leonardo da Vinci's sketches . It shifts from cool blue to hot red as fireworks explode . The public can visit it throughout the Games .
The structures — one at the Arco della Pace, one in Piazza Dibona in Cortina — are composed of 4.5 tonnes of metal, 1,440 connection components, and 1,000 metres of dynamic LEDs. Another absolute novelty in the history of the Games.
I won't be visiting in person. My wheelchair and I will watch from home. But the flame burns for all of us — those in the stadium, those in the mountains, those watching from beds and chairs and hospital rooms.
The Torch Relay: Stories Along the Way
The torch relay that preceded the ceremony carried its own emotional weight. The flame passed through Italian cities, gathering stories as it went.
At Ospedale Niguarda, the torchbearers stopped beneath the windows of the intensive care unit where young people injured in the Crans-Montana accident are recovering. Patients held up signs from their windows, participating symbolically in a moment they couldn't physically joinA moment of particular emotional intensity," said President Attilio Fontana, "charged with meaning in the spirit of Olympic values of solidarity and hope. The gesture, simple but profoundly symbolic, ideally united the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games of Milano Cortina 2026 with concrete closeness to those facing a difficult path of care and recovery"
The Swiss President Guy Parmelin visited those same patients earlier in the day, bringing greetings to the eight people still in intensive care and the Burns Centre.
The flame came to them. When they couldn't come to the flame.
Federica Pellegrini carried the torch in Via Manzoni, surrounded by a dense human corridor. "I'm very emotional," the swimmer said. "It's the first time, we're at home, and I'm not alone, so it's an emotion multiplied by three" Her fans shouted "Go Fede!" and "One of us!" Bolle, the étoile of La Scala, received the flame in Piazza della Scala, striking a dancer's pose before setting off along Via Manzoni. "Great Roberto!" his admirers screamed.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic carried the torch in Via dell'Orso. "Great emotion and great honour to be here," the Swedish footballer said. "I'm proud because even though I'm not Italian, I carry the torch in Italy: it's a great thing, great emotion passing through me" Marisa Tomei — the Oscar-winning actress — received the flame in Corso Garibaldi. "It's fantastic to be here in the city of Milan with my family and carry the spirit of unity for the world," she said. "For me, the most important meaning is that all countries are participating together in this event".
Patrizia Silvestre, 61, carried the torch from Viale Pirelli to the Bicocca metro station. "After 16 years, I'm fulfilling my dream of running as a torchbearer: I had tried at Vancouver 2010 but an injury to my foot stopped me," she said, breathless. "During the journey with the torch, I thought about all the sacrifices I've made in my private life and at work: it was also an inner journey." Then, moved, she added: "Today I carried my mother, who is no longer here, in my heart"
The Numbers Behind the Magic
The ceremony involved a cast of over 1,300 people — professionals and volunteers from 27 countries — supported by more than 950 staff and workers. A "monster show" of over two hours, as creative director Marco Balich called it.
The musical component involved over 500 musicians composing original soundtracks. Preparation required more than 700 hours of rehearsals across Milan, Cortina, Livigno, Predazzo, and the Arco della Pace
The costume department created 182 original designs, over 1,400 costumes, 1,500 pairs of shoes, and used 7,500 metres of fabric 110 makeup artists and 70 hair stylists worked with over 1,000 scene elementsd every moment of beauty, thousands of hands working in coordination. Behind every seamless transition, hundreds of hours of practice. Behind every emotional peak, artists and technicians who believed in the vision.
What the Olympics Teach Us
The ancient Greeks understood something we've forgotten. The games embody the idea that a fully formed citizen develops character and skill that helps them interact with others in a way that makes for peace .
Excellence. Respect. Friendship. These three Olympic values constitute the foundation on which the entire movement builds its activities .
Giovanni Malagò, president of the Organising Committee, spoke with the flags of all nations behind him. "Tonight Italy opens its arms to the world," he said, recalling previous Games hosted by our country. "We are ready to write the history of the Olympics again." It will be an Olympics, he continued, "realised with Italian spirit," because "Italian beauty has been entrusted to us by history as a responsibility: it is more than a value, it is an energy, it lives only if it is transmitted".
Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee, offered her wish: "May these Games be a celebration of what unites us. The magic of the Olympic Games is to inspire us all to give the best of ourselves, together." The light of the cauldron, she added, "will shine for you athletes and through you will be a source of inspiration throughout the world. When I was an athlete, watching the flame illuminate the night was my favourite moment. I realised the games had begun. Now it's your moment. We can't wait to see your courage, your strength: the best of humanity"
The Protests and the Counterpoint
Not everyone celebrated. A "fiaccolata antiolimpica" — an anti-Olympic torch procession — wound through the San Siro neighbourhood. About 500 demonstrators, including housing committees, student groups, and activists, marched peacefully, staying at least a kilometre from the stadium. They lit flares and smoke bombs, chanting slogans against alleged speculation surrounding Milano-Cortina and against the government.
At the ex-Palasharp — a disused sports arena occupied by activists — the "Utopiadi" began: three days of "popular sport" organised by the "Comitato Insostenibili Olimpiadi" (Committee for Unsustainable Olympics), which shares its acronym with the real Olympic committee. They produced a documentary called "Il grande gioco" (The Great Game), aiming to tell "the reverse side of Olympic medals" and give voice to citizens critical of the infrastructure and construction projects connected to the Games
Students gathered in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci to protest against the presence of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in the city. "In a Milan increasingly less welcoming to those who animate it, paramilitary militias that carry out violent raids in America are being welcomed," they wrote. "We cannot allow the normalisation of this"
Hackers too made their presence felt. A new wave of attacks from pro-Russian group Noname057(16) targeted sites connected to the Olympics, including the event's official website and the Olympic committees of other nations. Anonymous also launched a cyber offensive. Most targeted sites experienced no disruption, but the attempts reminded us that even moments of unity attract those who wish to divide.
I mention these counterpoints not to diminish the ceremony, but to acknowledge reality. The Olympics exist in a world of conflict, inequality, and legitimate grievance. The flame doesn't erase these tensions. It illuminates them.
The Ukrainian Question
Vladyslav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian flag bearer, didn't rule out protest during the ceremony. The 27-year-old skeleton athlete disagreed with the IOC's decision to admit 13 Russians and 7 Belarusians as neutral athletes, provided they commit to respecting the peace principles of the Olympic Charter and demonstrate they don't actively support the war in Ukraine don't agree with these criteria and I believe many Ukrainian athletes don't either," he told CNN "I know we run the risk of disqualification or a warning from the IOC, but I believe it's the right thing. If you have to fight for your truth, if you believe it's not right, you have to make your opinion heard" years ago at the Beijing Olympics, Heraskevych held up a sign reading "No war in Ukraine" A gesture he doesn't regret: "It didn't prevent the war in Ukraine, but at least I try to draw attention to my country"We need this attention and we need it now," he added. "We cannot be alone in pushing back against this war. We need the support of other nations and to make people understand how this is a war on a very large scale" crowd at San Siro gave their answer. When Ukraine's delegation appeared, the stadium erupted in ovation. Sixty-seven thousand voices, choosing solidarity.
Never Give Up
I've carried this philosophy through every surgery, every setback, every moment when my body betrayed my ambitions. Dystonia doesn't define me. Neither does this wheelchair.
When Arianna Fontana and Federico Pellegrino led the Italian delegation into San Siro, the stadium erupted. At Cortina, Federica Brignone rode on Amos Mosaner's shoulders, waving the tricolore. "It's been a really hard path for me," Brignone said, "and it still is today. Being here is really special: it was an almost impossible challenge" impossible. But she showed up anyway.
Carla Piersanti, 56, carried the torch in Piazza Istria. "The Olympics can relaunch the universal values of brotherhood and unity, which in this historical moment are certainly needed," she said. "During the journey, I felt the embrace of the city, of friends, but above all of my daughters Sara and Silvia, who followed me"iano Nicotria, 34, carried the flame from the Via Farini overpass to the Monumental Cemetery. "Today I'm playing at home, since I live nearby," he said, smiling. Then, moved: "Today I carried in my heart my mother who is no longer here"aso, 12, stood with his father Francesco and brother Filippo, 10, at the Monumental Cemetery to watch the torch pass. "It's a unique moment," he said, emotional. "I don't think I'll ever see it again in my whole life"
Looking Forward
The flame burns tonight in Italy. Laura Pausini sang the national anthem. Pierfrancesco Favino recited Leopardi's "L'Infinito" Mariah Carey — in white and silver feathers — performed "Nel blu dipinto di blu" in Italian my wheelchair in Emilia-Romagna, I watched it all unfold. The Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo in Cortina isn't the Eiffel Tower, but it served as a beautiful backdrop . The DJ played songs from decades past — "Brimful of Asha," "Pump Up the Jam" — connecting generations .
President Mattarella declared the Games officially open: "I declare open the celebration of the 25th edition of the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina". Simple words. Profound meaning.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres appeared in a video message, celebrating the Games as "an example of global union". European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote on X: "The Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games return to Europe: Italy is the protagonist. Thanks to President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for the warm welcome in Milan. To the athletes: you are the best face of Europe. Go, make us proud"
Nicoletta Manni, étoile of La Scala and torchbearer, reflected on the connection between sport and dance: "They share profound values: respect for work, the daily effort to achieve a goal, dedication, and the possibility of sharing one's passion with colleagues and the public". On imperfection, she added: "Perfection doesn't exist. We're in a continuous search for something that is never reached, but that's precisely the beauty of our work: surpassing ourselves every day".
The Flame Burns for All of Us
During the Olympics, all things seem possible to humanity . I felt that watching volunteers lead fans in dance routines, arms and legs moving together, strangers becoming neighbours for an evening.
Beauty exists. Connection exists. Hope exists.
The cauldron glows at the Arc of Peace. Samantha Cristoforetti showed a child the stars. Athletes from 67 nations will compete fiercely — and shake hands at the finish line.
The Games are more than a display of athletic aptitude; they symbolise a global celebration and hope for unity . Tonight, flags from Italy, Croatia, Romania, Spain, Canada, France, and Egypt waved together in the same stadium. Tomorrow, athletes who trained in isolation will stand on the same ice, the same snow, the same starting line.
Pope Leone XIV reminded us that "sport can play an important role for the good of humanity, particularly for the promotion of peace". The person must always remain at the centre of sport in all its expressions, even in those of competitive and professional excellence, believe that. I've seen it. From this chair, watching the world gather in my country, I've witnessed the stubborn human belief that we can do better.
The Olympics has once again given me more hope for our world. Not naive hope. Not the hope that ignores suffering. The hope that says: we've done this before. We've gathered across borders, spoken different languages, competed fiercely — and still shaken hands at the finish line.
Never give up.
That's my philosophy. It's also the Olympic philosophy, whether they call it that or not.
The flame burns tonight in Italy. Let it burn in all of us.
Gerd Dani is the President of FreeAstroScience, a science and cultural group dedicated to making knowledge accessible to everyone. He writes from Tirana, Albania, and believes — stubbornly, persistently — in the power of hope.
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