In 1990, Toto Cotunno sang about togetherness, peace and a new, united Europe, winning the Eurovision Song Contest. Today, that optimism has subsided considerably, and international relations are dominated almost exclusively by the language of brute force. I guess that's why they are the organizers Winter Olympic Games in Italy had the need to during the spectacular ceremonies the openings remind people all over the world of the almost utopian principles of Olympism. Apart from the fact that sport is the only field where the best usually win, the Olympic Games are an opportunity to show a country in its best light. It is very indicative that the creative team behind the show is the same one that excelled at the opening of the Olympics in Paris. Coincidentally or not, the author is Marko Balich, a Venetian whose family roots go back to Dalmatia and Split.
The basic message of the program is the concept of Harmony, which is visually represented by nodes. The architecture of Milan, for those who know little about this city, is also based on the model of concentric circles in the center of which is the spirit, that is, the Cathedral. The knots actually symbolize communication, primarily sports and art. The Italians sent a message to the world that beauty will save it, in accordance with the Renaissance, Leonardo's model of the Perfect Square with Man in the center.
The concept of "Great Beauty" as a lifestyle and harmony was shown in every detail - from the beauty of the costumes, almost in the style of a fashion show, through the music of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini, to popular music, painting and food. In the final, an innovation was also made because instead of the torch, the Olympic cauldron was introduced, or rather two - in Milan and Cortina.
Among the stars, Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, the Prince of San Siro, among others, appeared and sang... Ibrahimović carried a torch, Alberto Tomba lit a flame, motorcyclist Valentino Rossi drove a tram, while President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni froze a little in the stands. The mascots are the weasels Tina and Milo, as symbols of the youth and spirit of Italy.
By the way, Italy received an important recognition at the very end of 2025 when UNESCO declared its cuisine a special intangible cultural heritage. It's not just about recipes and dishes, some of which, like pizza and spaghetti, are already protected, but about the entire cultural model of family, consumption, growing and preparing food, recipes and connections within the community. In a similar way, messages were sent from the opening about the essence of sport as a way for man to build his own personality, identity, as well as the spirit of peace, empathy, teamwork and sacrifice.
The President of the Olympic Committee and her colleague from Italy spoke several times about sports in the language reserved for politicians. Through sports, the most positive qualities of man, as well as the people, were promoted in the spirit of peace and tolerance. Paradoxically, the focus was neither on victory, nor on the desire to be the best, but rather that the athletes, as ambassadors of their countries, compete and participate in something that is bigger and more important than each individual. "It is important to participate" almost sounds naive after, say, Davos, just a few weeks ago.
Tracks and fighting grounds are superbly prepared, television broadcasts are also pushing the boundaries this year, as incredible shots from drones have been introduced that follow athletes in disciplines such as alpine skiing or ski jumping. You can follow our broadcasts on RTS2, Eurosport, and HBO Max also has sports content. All this speaks to the interest in television, which the Internet still cannot replace when it comes to live broadcasts of sports competitions.
And of course it couldn't do without politics. Italian officials were not in focus, President Mattarella made a short speech and opened the Games, and in the promotional video he did not fly in a flying taxi, but rode a tram.
US Vice President JD Vance and the Israeli delegation experienced boos and boos. As far as Israel is concerned, every Olympic Games is an unpleasant reminder of the 1972 Munich Olympics, when 11 athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists. The issue of security, especially for Americans, came into the spotlight when the arrival of agents from the infamous ICE was announced. Protests followed in Milan "ICE Out!" and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's statements that ICE will not be involved in public security matters. It was an attempt to save the face of the hosts, but, for example, the mayor of Milan openly opposed the arrival of American agents.
As we enjoy the whiteness of the snow, the beauty and skill of the athletes, the message of hope that was sent at the opening seemed to me like a kind of appeal. Wars have stopped since ancient times, and these days the agreement on the limitation of nuclear weapons in the world, the famous START, has expired. The new one has not yet been signed, nor has the old one been extended, so we now paradoxically live in an age where there is neither a formal nor a symbolic restriction on the use of nuclear weapons.
I also remembered our ZOI in Sarajevo, when the late SFRY did its best to present itself as a successful, modern country, which is part of the world. A few years later, that dream disappeared in the bloody disintegration of the country, so the Olympics in Sarajevo looked like a swan dance, which only postponed the terrible end.
Today, only at the opening of the Olympics do the words about peace, unity, and solidarity make sense. It is no longer like that among politicians, the circles turn into corrals and fences in no time, the Eurovision Song Contest has already been discredited by political divisions and precedents, so the Winter Olympics in Italy has become a paradigm of the European idea in its original, ancient form. United, United, Europe?
