The opening ceremony of the 20th Mediterranean Games was staged at Taranto’s Erasmo Iacovone Stadium.

Italy is hosting the event for the fourth time in its history and, for the third time, the Games were officially opened by the country’s Head of State.

Following Antonio Segni at Naples 1963 and Oscar Luigi Scalfaro at Bari 1997 — unlike Pescara 2009, when Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi performed the role in the absence of Giorgio Napolitano — President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella declared the Games open during a memorable evening also attended by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Five other heads of state attended the ceremony alongside host President Sergio Mattarella, representing Albania, Lebanon, Libya and North Macedonia, together with Kosovo’s acting head of state. Two other prime ministers were present alongside Giorgia Meloni, those of Algeria and Serbia.

The President of Croatia delegated her sports adviser Tomislav Paškvalin — Olympic champion in 1984 and 1988 and world champion with Yugoslavia in 1986 — who during his playing career represented, among others, Pro Recco and AN Brescia.

Also at the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium were Senate President Ignazio La Russa; President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana; Constitutional Court Vice-President Luca Antonini; Ministers Andrea Abodi, Tommaso Foti, Orazio Schillaci and Gianmarco Mazzi; European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto; European Olympic Committees President Spyros Capralos, representing the International Olympic Committee; Mehrez Boussayene, who became President of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games in January following the death of the late Davide Tizzano; newly elected International Committee of the Mediterranean Games President Francesco Purromuto; CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio; Sport e Salute President Marco Mezzaroma; Sport e Salute Chief Executive Diego Nepi Molineris; Taranto 2026 Organising Committee President Massimo Ferrarese; and other representatives from the worlds of politics and sport.

Music, colour, flags, tradition and innovation brought the spectacular ceremony to life (photos: Mattia Martegani and Andrea Masini/CONI).

The event opened with the Italian flag being carried into the stadium and handed to the Presidential Cuirassiers by Antonella Palmisano, the only woman from Puglia in Italian history to have won an Olympic gold medal, having triumphed in the 20km race walk at Tokyo 2020. The Italian national anthem then rang out during the flag-raising ceremony.

All the delegations paraded behind their respective flagbearers. A huge roar greeted Italia Team as it entered the pitch at the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium, represented by around 270 athletes and officials from 15 federations and 16 sports, including the men’s and women’s volleyball teams, men’s and women’s football teams and the men’s handball team.

The Italian delegation was led by Irma Testa and Filippo Tortu, who later went up to the presidential stand to greet President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella — something never previously done by two flagbearers.

“It was wonderful, an indescribable feeling,” Testa said. “Before going in, we were almost calm, then we entered this beautiful stadium packed with people and it was incredibly emotional.

“Walking past President Mattarella was very moving, and meeting him and speaking to him was even more special. He is a man of sport, someone who loves sport and loves us athletes. He is one of us and meeting him was wonderful for both of us.

“Good luck to all of us. We have to win lots of medals.”

Tortu echoed her words.

“Before going in, I was completely relaxed. The moment I stepped into the stadium was the most powerful emotion I have ever experienced.

“It was fantastic. I could feel the energy both from the crowd and from the whole team behind us, who at one point almost swept us along.

“When we went to greet President Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni, it was all incredibly intense. The emotion was extraordinary. I want to thank both of them, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire Italian team, for honouring us with their presence.”

The Italian Navy carried in and raised the flag of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games as its anthem was played, before Taranto 2026 Organising Committee President Massimo Ferrarese addressed the audience.

“Mr President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of the ICMG Mehrez Boussayene, dear athletes, dear members of the Mediterranean Family, distinguished guests: welcome to Taranto. Welcome to Puglia. Welcome to Italy. Where history meets the future, and where sport brings us together as one family.

“Tonight, we celebrate not only sport, but also friendship, peace and unity. Please allow me to continue in Italian, my language.

“It is with profound emotion that I welcome you to Taranto, a city which has looked out over the Mediterranean for almost 3,000 years and which today has the honour of hosting the 20th edition of the Games.

“Taranto understands the value of time and hospitality. Throughout its millennia of history it has been a bridge between peoples, cultures and civilisations. It has watched ships depart and welcomed women and men with different languages, traditions and dreams.

“Just a short distance from this stadium, in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto, a young athlete has lain for 2,500 years. He is the Athlete of Taranto, the oldest evidence preserved by this land of the bond between the Mediterranean and sport.

“Tonight, his heirs are here.

“The Mediterranean means meeting. It means dialogue. It means sharing. Today, the time of history joins the time of sport.

“Every athlete knows that a single instant can change a life. A single second can give meaning to years of training, sacrifice, renunciation and hope. This is the deepest meaning of the Mediterranean Games.

“Sacrifice and the desire for self-improvement belong to every human being. Like the athletes, we too have faced a race against time in the planning, construction of facilities and organisation of these Games, built day after day with passion, responsibility and team spirit.

“I thank the Italian Government for its great support and constant co-operation, and for believing in and supporting our project. None of this would have been possible without that decisive contribution.

“I thank the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games for the support it has constantly provided over these years. Thank you, President Boussayene.

“Italy is proud to welcome you.

“And allow me to give special thanks to all those who, through their commitment, expertise and extraordinary dedication, have made all of this possible. We are proud of you.

“The motto of these Games is ‘Embrace the Future’. Together, we embrace the future.

“The future is built by choosing dialogue rather than conflict, respect rather than intolerance, and co-operation rather than division.

“Italy has always been a land of encounters, where peoples and cultures have built relationships, knowledge and peace. Tonight, that history continues here, in this land, which from today becomes its guardian.

“These Games are dedicated to the boys and girls of this city, which has given so much to our country and to Europe.

“Over the coming days we will see great athletes compete with passion and dedication. Every victory will be a source of pride. But the greatest success will be coming together, united by the values of sport, friendship and peace.

“I wish all the athletes days filled with success and everyone else unforgettable days.”

He was followed by Mehrez Boussayene, President of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games.

President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella then delivered his address and formally declared the 20th Mediterranean Games open.

Mauro De Filippis of shooting read the athletes’ oath, while fencer Flavia Bonanni delivered the judges’ oath.

To close the ceremony, Valentina Rodini — Olympic gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 in the lightweight women’s double sculls alongside Federica Cesarini, winner of the lightweight single sculls at the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games and now a member of the CONI Executive Board — represented the Italian team in the traditional Water Ceremony.