The championship was opened at a grand event on the eve of the competitionโ€™s first day by speeches from Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, Robert Golob, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, and Enzo Smrekar, President of the Ski Association of Slovenia and of the Planica Organising Committee.

  • Slovenian Prime Minister is standing on stage, dressed in the official Planica blue, white, and green jacket. Welcoming address by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Robert Golob. Photo: Anลพe Malovrh, STA.
  • Saลกo Avsenik ensemble on stage. A projection of snowy blue and white trees in the background. Performance by the Saลกa Avsenika ensemble. Photo: Anลพe Malovrh, STA.
  • Raising the flag of Slovenia and the FIS International Ski Federation outside and people around. Raising the flag of Slovenia and the FIS International Ski Federation. Photo: Anลพe Malovrh, STA.
  • Ukrainian national team members are walking on stage with their flag. A Ukrainian national team member passes by with their flag. Photo: Anลพe Malovrh, STA.
  • A Slovenian music band of nine people is standing on a stage. A projection of red mountains in the background. Singers Milan Fras (Laibach) in the centre and Boris Benko (Laibach and Silence) on the far right. Photo: Anลพe Malovrh, STA.
  • Peter Prevc is carrying the Slovenian flag on stage at Planica. A moment with the Slovenian flag carried by Peter Prevc. Photo.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, welcomed the athletes at the opening ceremony of the Nordic World Ski Championship with the words: "Welcome to Slovenia. This is the biggest sporting event in Sloveniaโ€™s history. Let the world remember Planica for its fantastic atmosphere. Planica is our pride. It is with good reason that our country is referred to as the green heart of Europe."

Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, answered a few questions about the Championships and the activities of the federation he leads.

The performers included Laibach, Saลกo Avsenikโ€™s Band, and DJ Umek

The cultural programme featured the bands Laibach, Saลกo Avsenikโ€™s popular folk music band, and DJ Umek, an electronic music producer. They were accompanied on stage by more than 130 other performers.

Laibach, a popular and established band, created for the opening ceremony a song based on the old Slovenian folk tune 'Oj, Triglav, moj domโ€™ (Oh, Triglav, My Home). The fresh arrangement was joined by a host of well-known musicians: singer Severa Gjurin, frontman and singer of Siddharta band, Tomi Megliฤ, zither player Irena Anลพiฤ, percussionist Petra Vidmar, members of the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir, and the wind and brass section of the Radio-Television Slovenia Symphony Orchestra.

Saลกo Avsenik, grandson of the late popular folk musician Slavko Avsenik, had the following to say about his bandโ€™s performance: "We presented a fragment of our culture and showed how beautiful it is when different generations meet on stage.โ€ His band played and sang โ€˜Iz Bohinjaโ€™, โ€˜Slovenija od kod lepote tovojeโ€™ , โ€˜Na Goliciโ€™, and, finally, โ€˜Planica, Planicaโ€™. "Before embarking on his musical career, my grandfather Slavko was a member of the national ski jumping team. After a bad fall, he swapped his skis for an accordion. Later on, he dedicated the aforementioned song to ski jumping and to Planica. This song evokes feelings and memories in every visitor to Planicaโ€, said Saลกo Avsenik, explaining the circumstances that led to the songโ€™s creation.

Listening to the beats compiled by DJ Umek, a well-known dance music producer and DJ, the visitors of the event greeted the national flag bearers of all participating national teams from 66 countries.