Belarus Shines Bright as European Games Open

(ATR) Belarusian biathlete Darya Domracheva lit the "Fern Flower" Cauldron symbolically on Kupala Night – the shortest night of the calendar year – igniting the start of the 2nd European Games in Minsk.

Leading to the four-time Olympic biathlon gold medalist having the honor, the Flame of Peace was run around Minsk’s historic Dinamo Stadium by numerous Olympians and popular Belarusian athletes.

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, who was accompanied by European Olympic Committees (EOC) president Janez Kocijancic throughout the lengthy two hour and 36 minute opening ceremony, declared the second European Games open 30 minutes past midnight local time.

"Representing your country at the European Games is a great honor and a huge responsibility for each of you," Lukashenko pronounced.

"Your victory will be a national treasure, your personal record – the pride of the whole nation and all of us together, inhabitants of 50 states – participants of the 2nd European Games.

"Let us together transfer all modern political battles to the sports fields for the benefit of mankind," said the 64-year-old Belarusian leader, his country’s only president since 1994.

Earlier, United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres welcomed the athletes via a video message.

The Slovenian leader of the EOC followed the Portuguese diplomat, delivering a large portion of his speech in the native tongue.

"The European Games are the biggest multi-sport event in the history of Belarus and we sincerely hope that the Games will open up your beautiful country and present its image to the European and world public," Kocijancic said.

Approximately 2,700 athletes representing all 50 European nations marched in the Parade of Nations, walking along a track emblazoned with the Games slogan "Bright Year, Bright You".

Traditional Belarusian "Kupala lights" lit up along the road of the parade. The athletes taking the stage was preceded by a tribute to "Kupala Night". According to legend, Kupala fire cleanses the body of diseases and the soul from bad thoughts.

There was rapturous applause for the athletes from host Belarus, the final country to enter the colorful parade. Chants of "Belarus, Belarus, Belarus" echoed throughout the venerable stadium filled with 22,000 spectators, most of them citizens of the host country.

The ceremony theme was "When the Fern Blooms" honoring Belarus’ Fern Flower, which holds a special and symbolic meaning in Slavic culture. As legend goes, whoever finds the cherished flower on Kupala Night learns the world’s secrets and can make a wish destined to come true.

Maybe one’s wish on the festive evening was that the Republic of Belarus can win the approval from the attendees of its fellow European nations, delivering a successful, hospitable, enjoyable and safe European Games over the upcoming nine days.

With Friday night’s pageantry fading to a memory, a jam-packed schedule of action is slated for Saturday. Athletes compete in 10 of the 15 sports with medals for the taking in road cycling, archery, rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics, judo, sambo and shooting.

Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Minsk, Belarus

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