The opening ceremony for the Games was held in the historic city of Kraków on Wednesday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Under the floodlights at a packed Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium, athletes from the 48 national teams taking part in the 3rd European Games paraded in front of the audience.
The ceremony began with a rendition of Kraków’s traditional St. Mary’s Trumpet Call and included performances from crowd-favourite up-and-coming pop acts Roxie Węgiel and Tribbs, as well as Ukraine’s 2022 Eurovision Song Contest winners Kalush Orchestra, the PAP news agency reported.
There were also cameos from dance troupes, a lights-and-pyrotechnics show, and a tribute to outstanding Poles and key events in Polish history, it said.
The ceremony culminated with the lighting of the 2023 European Games torch, from the traditional Flame of Peace which was handed over to the Polish president in Rome on April 3.
This symbolic act was performed by renowned Polish athletes Anita Włodarczyk, Janusz Pyciak-Peciak and Marcin Oleksy.
‘A celebration of sports, peace and European unity’
In a speech to the gathering, the Polish president said that the European Games were being held in the European Union for the first time.
He also said that the 2023 European Games were the world’s biggest sporting event of the year "drawing on the values originating from ancient Greece."
The president said: “In this context, I would like to warmly welcome the athletes from Ukraine. This is a sign that the Olympic ideals are stronger than evil and violence. Thank you for being here.”
Duda added: ”Let the message coming from Poland, from the heart of Europe, reach everyone today – let this be a celebration not only of sports, but above all, of peace and European unity, let it warm our hearts and give us the courage to win.”
“The 3rd European Games are now officially open,” the president announced.
2023 European Games
The 2023 European Games feature 12 days of competition in 29 sports, from June 21 to July 2.
Some of the first events in athletics and beach handball started before the official opening ceremony.
The Games will be held at 25 venues in Kraków and 12 other southern Polish cities, including Chorzów, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Nowy Targ and Zakopane.
More than 7,000 athletes from 48 countries are expected to take part in the 2023 European Games, which will also provide opportunities to win European championship medals and a pathway to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in some of the sports.
A total of 370 Polish athletes, 188 men and 182 women, have been selected to compete in the Games.
Poland won 14 medals, three gold, one silver and 10 bronze, at the 2nd European Games in Minsk, Belarus in 2019.
Team Poland scooped 20 medals, two gold, eight silver and 10 bronze, at the 1st European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2015.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, prezydent.pl, european-games.org