The XX Olympic Winter Games took place from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin. The Winter Games comprised seven different sports and 15 different disciplines, which were played out in eight different competition sites.

 

Turin 2006 was a unique occasion to be there, to breathe in the Olympic atmosphere, to experience the culture of the Games in person, to discover the character of the city and region, its historical, cultural, sporting and cooking traditions. A heritage of principles and images was  celebrated, jealously guarded among your most treasured memories and passed on to future generations.

 

Four Uzbekistan athletes Kayrat Ermetov (alpine skier), Marina Aganina and Artyom Knyazev (figure skating pair), Anastasiya Gimazetdinova (figure skating, lady) participated in the Games. For the first time in the history of Winter Olympic Games, Uzbekistan judge Evgeniy Rokhin (figure skating) was engaged in the Games.

 

On 8 February 2006 the Uzbekistan Team Welcome Ceremony was held in the Turin Olympic Village. Mrs. Manuela Di Centa, the Mayor of Olympic Village, two-time Olympic champion, IOC member, CONI Vice-president has awarded the Turin 2006 Olympic Torch to Mr. Malik Babaev, NOC Uzbekistan Secretary General as a sign of the successful participation of national team at these Games. Then, the National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan was raised and National Anthem played.

 

On February 10, the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games have officially started. The Opening of the XX Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games was followed by 35 thousand spectators at the Stadio Olimpico and by approximately 2 billion television spectators the world wide. The values of brotherhood and dialogue were  traditionally represented by the athletes who paraded with their flags and colours accompanied by extraordinary light shows and a memorable soundtrack. Uzbekistan Olympians followed the alpine skier Kayrat Ermetov, who was granted with the honor to carry Uzbekistan National Flag.

 

After the parade finished, Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee, and Valentino Castellani, TOROC President, made their greeting speeches. Jacques Rogge expressed the deep gratitude to the public authorities of Italy, the Piedmont region and Turin, the Organising Committee of the Games in Turin and the thousands of volunteers as well. Then he addressed his words to the athletes: “Dear athletes, welcome to Turin. You are at the heart of these Games, which were created for you. Give these Games the magic that we all desire, not only through your performance, but also, and above all, through your conduct.” The official start of the Games was sanctioned by the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, with his words addressed to athletes, technicians and spectators: “I declare the celebration of the Turin 2006 XX Olympic Winter Games officially open”. 

 

The most eagerly awaited and exciting gesture of the entire Opening Ceremony was the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron by Stefania Belmondo. The Olympic champion from Pragelato was preceded, in the Olympic Stadium, by a series of champions who made the history of Italian winter sports: Alberto Tomba, Piero Gros, Deborah Compagnoni the Lillehammer cross-country skiers Fauner, Albarello, Vanzetta and De Zolt. Stefi collected the Torch from Deborah with the smile of her most beautiful victories, as she had been hoping to do in the days prior to the Olympic Winter Games.

 

On February 26, 2006 the Closing Ceremony for XX Winter Olympic Games Turin 2006 was held at the Stadio Olimpico of Turin. The XX Winter Olympic Games Turin 2006 will be remembered as a celebration of sport and brotherhood. Turin 2006 is three weeks of sporting competition, success and fair play, enthusiasm and passion. "We’ve made it, all together with team spirit, from the government to local institutions, down to every volunteer, thank you, thank you", were the first significant words of the closing speech by TOROC president, Valentino Castellani, at the Closing Ceremony.

Traditional Italian Carnival was the dominating theme of the Ceremony.  The protocol moments of the ceremony alternated with the more informal ones typical of the Carnival. Thus, the clowns came on to the scene, together with snow explorers, the mermaid, the Carnival Court, led by the King and the Queen, and the Masks of the Viareggio Carnival. The audience was also involved. As for the Opening Ceremony, all spectators were given a kit with angel and devil masks with a red nose that lights up. Everyone was invited to wear them, including the heads of state and government and the other celebrities from the grand stands. Then the athletes’ parade took place, at which all athletes were parading all together and not divided by nations.  One of the most emotional moments was the official award ceremony of the cross-country skiing 50 km. 
   
Their closing speeches made the IOC President, Rogge, and Toroc, Castellani.  Another official moment was the passage of the Olympic flag from the hands of the mayor of Torino, Sergio Chiamparino, to his counterpart of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan. Then, the eight-minute segment started, presented by Vanoc, the Organising Committee of Vancouver 2010.

The final part of the Closing Ceremony included the pyrotechnical fountains, the live performances of two stars such as Ricky Martin and Elisa and the fireworks.

 ХХI Winter Olympic Games will be held in Vancouver, Canada in 2010