President Karis and Sirje Karis to attend opening ceremony of Paris Olympics

President Alar Karis is on a working visit to Paris, as part of which he is taking part today in an international summit on children’s health, education and fitness entitled ‘Sport and Sustainable Development’ on the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of France and IOC president Thomas Bach. Speaking at the event, the Estonian head of state will underscore the importance of a comprehensive, cross-discipline approach to getting young people to lead more active lives.

Along with other heads of state and government, President Karis will be attending the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Place du Trocadéro on Friday. He will also be visiting the Olympic Village, meeting with the Estonian squad and their supporters and cheering the athletes on in their competitions. Meetings with French political and cultural figures have also been scheduled.

“The Olympics are a sporting festival that unites nations and peoples,” the head of state remarked. “Those taking part in the games have prepared for them their whole lives. But the Olympics are more than a showcase of athletic prowess: they are about honesty, amity and virtuosity; ideals which, in addition to the passion and excitement of the competitions themselves, make the Olympics the Olympics. Now would also be a good time for us to recall the Olympic Truce, which dates back to the time of the ancient Olympics and which saw warring parties lay down their weapons for the duration of the games to strive for a better and more peaceful world through sport and the Olympic ideals.”

While in Paris, Sirje Karis will be attending a meeting of the spouses of heads of state and government upon the invitation of Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French president.

President Karis and Sirje Karis will be returning to Estonia on Sunday.

The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will begin in Paris on 26 July and continue until 11 August. Estonia will be represented by a squad of 25 athletes in 14 disciplines.