The Paralympic cauldron is lit by Italy's Francesca Porcellato during the Opening Ceremony on Friday. Photo: OIS/IOC/Tyler McFarland/ via ReutersWith a sequence of rhythmic performances celebrating uniqueness and participation, the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in Italy featured artists with disabilities, as athletes sat in a front row designed for wheelchairs. Verona's Roman amphitheatre hosted the inaugural event of the 50th Paralympics on Friday, less than two weeks after bidding goodbye to the Winter Olympics, against a dramatically altered global backdrop. Aerialists from Il Posto Vertical Dance Company perform during the Milano Cortina Paralympics opening ceremony in Verona. Only 28 national Paralympic delegations attended the parade, the IPC said, adding that was mostly due to performance reasons, given the competition schedule.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 07, 2026 12:42 UTC