The Paralympic Ceremonies between contemporary art and great emotions
Milano Cortina 2026 is preparing to write a page of great symbolic intensity with the Paralympic Winter Games Ceremonies, conceived as a human and participatory story that focuses on movement, people and shared memories. Two distinct but deeply connected events that will accompany the public from the beginning to the end of the Games, transforming iconic places into stages of universal emotions.
"Life in Motion": the opening at the Arena di Verona
The Paralympic Opening Ceremony, scheduled for 6 March 2026 in the extraordinary setting of the Verona Arena, will stage "Life in Motion", a hymn to life understood as change, transformation and possibility. For the first time in history, a Paralympic ceremony will take place in a UNESCO World Heritage monument, transforming Verona's amphitheatre into an open, inclusive and barrier-free space in Verona.
The story takes shape through different artistic languages, from music to contemporary art, to return a new vision of disability: not a limit, but a dynamic relationship between person and environment. Among the first talents announced are Stewart Copeland, an icon of international music, and Meduza, a symbol of the Italian electronic scene in the world. Alongside them, tributes to the art of Jago and Emilio Isgrò, which enrich the narrative with visual and poetic reflections on the present time.
"Italian souvenir": the grand finale in Cortina
On March 15, 2026, the conclusion of the Paralympic Games will be entrusted to the Closing Ceremony at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. The title chosen, "Italian souvenir", evokes the beauty of memories as a shared heritage: a large emotional album that collects sporting feats, the faces of athletes, the energy of volunteers and images of the Italian territories that have hosted the competitions.
The ceremony thus becomes a sensory journey between snapshots of sports and postcards of Italy, a greeting that is not an end, but the sedimentation of a collective experience destined to last over time. Giving voice to the grand finale will be Arisa, one of the most recognizable interpreters of Italian music, called upon to transform the last act of the Games into a moment of strong emotional participation.
A message that goes beyond sport
With the Paralympic Ceremonies, Milano Cortina 2026 completes its Olympic and Paralympic story, reaffirming the value of sport as a tool for inclusion, growth and dialogue. From Verona to Cortina, the common thread remains the ability to unite people, territories and different histories, leaving a powerful message: beauty is born when movement becomes sharing and memory is transformed into the future.
