More than 5,000 people filled the Ljudski vrt (“People’s Garden”) stadium in Maribor this evening, providing an enthusiastic welcome for the 2,419 young athletes from 48 countries set to compete for 688 medals over the next six days of competition in the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
This 17th edition of the summer EYOF, which will see competition in 11 sports disciplines, represents the biggest multi-sport event ever to be held in Slovenia.
The Opening Ceremony provided a fitting celebration, showcasing the beauty and culture of the host country as well as the focus on empowering youth that is the cornerstone of the EYOF as a unique event catering to the best European athletes aged 14-18.
Highlights of the Opening Ceremony, which took place in the home stadium of the NK Maribor football team and sold out in just one hour, included the appearance of more than 200 artists and performers under the age of 30, among them top music acts Joker out and Raiven. The Slovenian Army Orchestra also provided music during the evening.
The ceremony, which was directed by one of Slovenia’s most renowned director screenwriters, Nejc Levstik, saw the EYOF officially declared open by President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar.
The Cauldron was ceremoniously lit by inspirational young Slovenian athlete Tim Marovt (20), a former member of the junior national ski team, who suffered a rare spinal cord injury while surfing at the age of 12 and has since defied medical expectations by recovering the ability to walk and challenging himself to complete the world’s major marathons.
In his address, which took place as an informal interview with the young hosts of the Ceremony, European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Spyros Capralos described this EYOF as part of the legacy of former EOC and Olympic Committee of Slovenia President Janez Kocijančič. He said:
“Slovenia is a great sporting country, which counts many Olympic champions, successes and sport leaders. Maribor will be a stunning stage. Amazing days await us all. I know the motto is “one city, one heart.” But what a city! What a heart!”
Earlier in the day Mr Capralos also participated in the Opening press conference of the EYOF alongside Saša Arsenovič, Mayor of Maribor, Franjo Bobinac, President of the Slovenian National Olympic Committee and Guro Lium, Chair of the EOC Coordination Commission for Maribor 2023.
Mr Capralos took the opportunity to highlight the value of the EYOF as an opportunity for the next generation of athletes to learn what it takes to succeed on the international stage, while also developing new friendships and a greater understanding of the values and pillars of Olympism.
He highlighted the example of Slovenian ski jumper Nika Prevc, who won a combined five gold medals at the Winter EYOFs in 2022 and 2023 and went on to achieve a silver medal at the recent European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023.
Mayor Arsenovič echoed the sentiment, saying:
“As a former tennis player, I learned a lot through sports. I know the athletes here will also learn a lot. I hope they will let the spirit of this city inspire them and return home with good emotions and a piece of Maribor in their hearts for the rest of their lives.”
Ski Jumping at the Winter EYOF 2023 was also hosted in Slovenia, in the Planica resort, as part of the regional and cross-border hosting concept of Friuli Venezia Giulia earlier in the year.
