2026 Winter Paralympics closing ceremony
| Part of 2026 Winter Paralympics | |
Stadio olimpico del ghiaccio in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, hosted the closing ceremony | |
| Date | 15 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:30–23:00 CET |
| Venue | Stadio olimpico del ghiaccio |
| Location | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy |
| Also known as | Italian Souvenir |
| Filmed by | Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) |
| Footage | The ceremony on the IPC YouTube channel on YouTube |
The closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics took place on 15 March 2026. Entitled "Italian Souvenir", the ceremony was held in the Stadio olimpico del ghiaccio (named Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium during the Games). The city of Cortina d'Ampezzo was chosen to host the ceremony, which previously did so during the 1956 Winter Olympics.[1]
Preparations
The ceremony was led by artistic director Angelo Bonello and was produced by G2 Eventi – Casta Diva Group.[2] The theme of the ceremony was "Italian Souvenir", following the dream-like journey of Sofia Tansella, a young Italian girl with spinal muscular atrophy.[3] The ceremony was described as a postcard of memories, highlighting the sporting success and the beauty of the Italian mountainous regions of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium was transformed for the event, with a stage built on its curling sheets.[4] Several nations, led by Ukraine, boycotted the ceremony due to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Games.[5][6][7]
Proceedings
The ceremony took place indoors at Stadio olimpico del ghiaccio from 20:30-23:00 CET. Beginning with a short video, the ceremony centred around a young girl played by Sofia Tansella, who has spinal muscular atrophy. An artistic dance performance featuring Cirque du Soleil's Dergin Tokmak culminated with dancers forming the Paralympic agitos. The dancers continued with a brief performance highlighting teamwork and sportsmanship, ending by forming the Italian flag with luminous ropes. The flag of Italy was carried into the arena by retired Paralympians, including Josh Dueck. "Il Canto degli Italiani" was performed by Italian singer Arisa and the flag was raised by the Carabinieri.
During the athletes' parade, Tina and Milo entered the arena, accompanied by the music of Gabriele Capponi, an Italian DJ and activist. This was followed by a recognition of the newly-elected members of the IPC athletes' council and a celebration of the Games' volunteers. A performance featuring cellist Formisanoff ensued, which featured dancers who ended with an appreciation of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Afterwards, "Hymne de l'Avenir" was played during the lowering of the Paralympic flag; it was then officially handed over to representatives from the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in France, which will host the 2030 Winter Paralympics in the French Alps. A presentation video was also shown after the raising of the flag of France and a unique rendition of "La Marseillaise". Official speeches from Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 president Giovanni Malagò and International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons followed, with Parsons declaring the Games closed.
Another performance saw dancers performing around a snow globe, which depicted iconic sites in both Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The performance concluded with the simultaneous extinguishing of the Paralympic cauldrons in both Milan's Arco della Pace and Cortina d'Ampezzo's Piazza Angelo Dibona. The ceremony ended with a performance by Italian electronic group Planet Funk, who performed songs including "Chase the Sun", and a short video featuring Sofia that highlighted the athletes of the Games.[8][9]
Dignitaries in attendance
International Paralympic Committee
- International Paralympic Committee – Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee
Members of the International Paralympic Committee and the Paralympic movement, not counting foreign representatives
Host
- Italy –
- Anna Scavuzzo, Vice Mayor of Milan
- Gianluca Lorenzi, Mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo
- Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
International
- France –
- Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region
- Fabrice Pannekoucke, President of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Region[10]
See also
References
- ^ "Cortina 1956 Olympic Winter Games Report - (PDF) page 121" (PDF) (in Italian). la84.org. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "Triple Stage Spectacle For Milan Cortina". Inside the Games. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ MacInnes, Paul (15 March 2026). "More countries, bigger audience but controversy lingered in Milano Cortina". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
Yhe theme of the closing ceremony of the Winter Paralympics, held at the Olympic curling arena in Cortina D'Ampezzo, was "Italian Souvenir". It followed, through dance and music, the ambitions of a young girl, played by Sofia Tansella who has spinal muscular atrophy, to see her dreams represented in the world.
- ^ Carro, Javier (16 March 2026). "Paralympic flame extinguished at Milano Cortina". Inside the Games. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "More countries, bigger audience but controversy lingered in Milano Cortina". The Guardian. 15 March 2026.
- ^ "Winter Paralympics closes with memorable ceremony". BBC Sport. 15 March 2026.
- ^ "Milano-Cortina Paralympics come to a close with another boycott by Ukraine at Games marked by Russia's return". CBC News. 15 March 2026.
- ^ "Winter Paralympics 2026: Closing Ceremony bids "Ciao to Milano Cortina" in light-filled spectacle". Olympics. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ "Winter Paralympics: Milan-Cortina embraces closing ceremony". BBC Sport. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
The Paralympic flag was also passed to the French Alps 2030 organising committee who will stage the next winter Games, before the flames in both Milan and Cortina were extinguished.
- ^ "Milano Cortina 2026: Italy says arrivederci to the Paralympics with dazzling Ceremony". International Paralympic Committee. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.