Minister La Russa also expressed his greetings. At 5 pm the Cerimony with the Chief of Defence General Staff Vincenzo Camporini

Aosta. President Giorgio Napolitano sent his message to the President of the International Military Sport Council, General of Division Gianni Gola to all participants of the first edition of World Military Winter Games: "I want to express my satisfaction for the organisation of a such significant sport event in our country and I wish a warm welcome to all representatives of the 42 Nations which will take place to this manifestation”. The Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa also extended his greetings to the President of the Organizing Committee Luigi Roth: “Athletes, here in Aosta Valley, represent the perfect quintessence of military values which combine themselves with the sport culture: the best military athletes from all around the world will compete in the various winter sport disciplines as expression of the most real and genuine principles of solidarity, moral commitment, ethic austerity, unselfishness and proper behaviour of discipline”.

The opening Cerimony will start with a surprise from the sky – the parachuting of two parà of the Army with the Italian tricolour and the flight of military planes – will anticipate the parade of all participant teams, introduced by the musical band Taurinense. Then official speeches of the Regional President Augusto Rollandin, the President of the Organizer Committee Luigi Roth will follow and the President of CISM Gen. Gola will officially open the Games. In the end the torch bearer, the northern Olympic skiing champion, Marco Albarello, will light the brazier of Games: a particular-shaped tripod representing the tradition and the culture of the Valle d’Aosta: a three meter high Cup of Friendship made of wood.