Olympics open in "Harmony" across Italy

MILAN – Calls for harmony framed the opening ceremony at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games on Friday at San Siro Stadium. Athletes from dozens of nations were introduced to a conflicted crowd.

Right outside the metro station at the foot of the San Siro, home of AC and Inter Milan, fans flocked to the stadium for one of the most unifying events in sports. The ceremony’s theme was Armonia, or harmony, focusing on the coming together of different nations and cultures in one event. One German fan attending the event thought that Armonia was the perfect choice.

“Harmony in the current times is really important,” Tobias Delbeck said. “We see the crisis in the world. Sport is something that can connect people.”

Harmony also inspired Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s moving rendition of “Nessun Dorma” from the opera “Turandot.”

However, while harmony and love were the focus, it wasn’t a uniformly shared sentiment.

Many in the crowd booed shortly after Team USA was introduced when a video cut to a shot of U.S. Vice President JD Vance. It was a rare moment during what is typically a unifying event full of cultural appreciation and mutual respect.

On the other hand, the American athletes received a loud cheer in the San Siro when they were introduced shortly after the Ukrainian contingent received a standing ovation in support of its war efforts.

Giovanni Malagò, the president of the organizing committee for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, delivered an inspired speech that addressed the need for harmony in the midst of world conflict. 

“Armonia is not a compromise between opposing forces, but a dialogue between them – a necessary foundation for imagining a better future,”  Malagò said. 

The ceremony served as a celebration of Italian culture and history, highlighted by a set piece of three giant tubes of red, yellow and blue “paint” that poured colorful fabric onto the stage. Surrounding the fabric were dancers, draped in the colors of the rainbow.

The performance was bold, electric and a vibrant showing of Italian artistry and history.

"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire," Malagò told the crowd.

In the Piazza del Cannone, behind the Sforza Castle of Milan, a fan zone was set up for fans unable to attend the opening ceremony. From France to the Philippines, visitors from all over the world gathered together to celebrate their countries as a community. 

“I was bored at home, so I came here to take a walk and enjoy the vibes,” said Justine Alcantara, a Filipino man living in Milan who was at the fan zone. “I was amazed, because I was an athlete also, so it’s very interesting to witness an Olympic Games, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” 

Sponsors set up booths with games, photo opportunities and virtual reality simulators for attendees to make the most of their time. 

In its co-host city, Cortina, the home of some sliding sports, women’s Alpine skiing and curling, athletes were introduced simultaneously – carrying their nation’s flag. Livigno and Predazzo, the hosts of the majority of the mountain sports, also hosted mini ceremonies.

For the first time ever, the ceremony took place in multiple cities where two separate Olympic cauldrons were lit. Italian Alpine skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the cauldron in Milan, while legendary Italian skier Sofia Goggia set the cauldron ablaze in Cortina at the Piazza Dibona.

From Milan’s gothic architecture, to the mountainous terrain of the Dolomites surrounding Cortina, armonia showcases the Olympic effect of cultural blending.

They remind us that we are all connected, that our strength comes from how we treat each other, and that the best of humanity is found in courage, compassion and kindness,” said International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.

Brady Charette and McKenna Bieger of CSUF World News contributed to this article.