Opening Ceremony – unforgettable experience
by Organizing Committee|09 MAY 2022
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As all major sports events, also the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will begin with the Opening Ceremony. In Tampere, the new Nokia Arena offers fantastic circumstances and facilities to organize an impressive ceremony. Nokia Arena’s modern technology will be used to create a magnificent, all-around show – an unforgettable experience for all those present. The Ceremony will take place on 13 May, just before the host team, Finland, starts its first game at 20:20 EET.
 
Generating atmosphere
 
The Opening Ceremony will sum up what is to come the following 17 days of the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Not everything can be revealed yet, but the central theme Making Miracles is sure to be present. The opening ceremony will show what it is all about, and how those unique moments awaken certain feelings in all of us.
 
”In the Opening Ceremony, we want to tell a story about the Finnish ice hockey culture for the international audience. Opening party will portray the branding, theme, and values of the 2022 IIHF WM in words, images and sounds”, tells Event Director Petteri Hietanen.
 
Even though the Opening Ceremony will be organized on the first day of the 2022 IIHF WM, to get the fans into the right mindset,  there will be pre-game shows, of a slightly smaller scale, before every game.
 
Story of Making Miracles
 
”Planning for the Opening Ceremony began roughly a year ago. Along the way, the story has evolved, and some new elements have been added in”, Petteri Hietanen summarizes the process.  
 
The story of the show is planned and scripted not only by the Local Organizing Committee, but in co-operation with Petteri Summanen, a well-known and multi-skilled screenwriter and director in the Finnish TV industry. Projection and stage lightning design have been carried out together with Visual45, which is known for big TV and concert productions. One of the top Finnish music producers, Antti Riihimaki, is responsible for the music production.
 
The inspiration for the theme Making Miracles stems from miracles of Finnish nature as well as the sport miracles in the ice hockey rink. The theme brings forth the values of the 2022 IIHF WM, and in the Opening Ceremony the meaning and importance of making small miracles happen in everyday life will be demonstrated by videos, lights, and music. 
 
Let the show begin!
 
The Opening Ceremony marks the beginning of the medal hunt. Afterwards, the real show, the tournament in its entirety of 64 games, will begin and the teams get to show their best. All 16 teams are ready – you just make sure you are ready to cheer for your favourites!
 
If you are coming to watch a game in the arenas, make sure you will be there on time: that’s the only way to see what Making Miracles really means!