Today is an important day for Cortina on the path to the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. In the hall of the Municipality, located at Corso Italia 33, the two official flags of the event are displayed: the Olympic flag with the Five Rings and the Paralympic flag with the Agitos, symbols of the sporting and inclusive spirit of the Games.
The flags, universal symbols of unity, respect, and inclusion, were presented to the mayors of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo at the conclusion of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
From today, citizens and visitors will have the opportunity to closely admire these iconic symbols, which are of significant size, encased in two glass display cases measuring 4 x 2.5 meters at the entrance of the municipal building.
After the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, which will be held here in Cortina on March 15, 2026, at the Olympic Ice Stadium, the flags will be delivered to France, which will host the Winter Games in 2030.
The Olympic flags, universal symbols of unity, respect, and inclusion, have a long history. The five Olympic rings, designed by Pierre de Coubertin, were officially presented at the Olympic Congress in Paris in 1914, symbolizing universality and brotherhood in an era marked by strong international tensions. The flag with the five rings flew for the first
time in an Olympic arena at the 1920 Games. The Paralympic symbol, known as 'agitos', was introduced in 2003 to represent the movement and determination of Paralympic athletes, promoting a more inclusive world through sport.