THE 11th EYOF: GO!

Trabzon, July 25 - After an impressive opening ceremony before some 40,000 spectators, the Olympic Festival of European Youth has now started.

Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium filled to the brim with a very expressive public who reserved an extraordinary welcome to the young athletes from 49 European NOCs of all nationalities.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Youth and Sports Suat Kılıç and many Turkish personalities, EOC President Patrick Hickey and many members of the Executive Committee as well as several senior representatives of European Sports Federations involved in the event had come to welcome young athletes and their families.

A minute of silence was observed in memory of victims of the attack in Norway.

After the parade of teams, the speeches and the lighting of the Olympic flame, the ceremony continued with a performance of folk dances, a pop concert with the Turkish singer Mustafa Sandal and finally a spectacular fireworks.

(Source: eurolymic.org)