A tribute was paid by Native Americans from the Adirondack Mountains area as they led an ancestral welcome and land acknowledgement to start the Ceremony ©FISU

Photo gallery

Britain is set to be represented by 62 athletes at Lake Placid 2023 and is eyeing curling gold after winning a medal in the sport in six of the last eight editions of the Games ©FISU
Britain is set to be represented by 62 athletes at Lake Placid 2023 and is eyeing curling gold after winning a medal in the sport in six of the last eight editions of the Games ©FISU
Carlens Mallett was met by a huge welcome upon joining the Athlete Parade as the cross-country skier is the nation's only competitor in its debut at the Games ©FISU
Carlens Mallett was met by a huge welcome upon joining the Athlete Parade as the cross-country skier is the nation's only competitor in its debut at the Games ©FISU
War-stricken Ukraine has managed to send an athlete delegation of 58 while Russia has been banned from the event alongside Belarus ©FISU
War-stricken Ukraine has managed to send an athlete delegation of 58 while Russia has been banned from the event alongside Belarus ©FISU
Lake Placid 2023 mascot Adirondack Mac made an appearance at the Opening Ceremony but backed out of riding the Zamboni as was scheduled ©FISU
Lake Placid 2023 mascot Adirondack Mac made an appearance at the Opening Ceremony but backed out of riding the Zamboni as was scheduled ©FISU
United States Olympic bobsledder from Pyeongchang 2018 Christopher Kinney produced a rousing performance of the host country's national anthem ©FISU
United States Olympic bobsledder from Pyeongchang 2018 Christopher Kinney produced a rousing performance of the host country's national anthem ©FISU
Jim McKenna, head of the Lake Placid 2023 Organising Committee, said that the village's
Jim McKenna, head of the Lake Placid 2023 Organising Committee, said that the village's "place on the international sport stage is secure" ©FISU
A three-part
A three-part "creative suite" took place with the aim of showing "what we can achieve when we come together" ©FISU
Captain of the US Alpine Ski team from the 1987 Winter Universiade Arthur Lussi held the FISU Flame which was powered by LED lights and had no actual combustion in an attempt to reduce the Games' carbon footprint ©FISU
Captain of the US Alpine Ski team from the 1987 Winter Universiade Arthur Lussi held the FISU Flame which was powered by LED lights and had no actual combustion in an attempt to reduce the Games' carbon footprint ©FISU
Footage was then shown of Lussi, a Lake Placid resident, and his daughter Nina walking down Main Street to light the Cauldron and officially open the 2023 Winter World University Games ©FISU
Footage was then shown of Lussi, a Lake Placid resident, and his daughter Nina walking down Main Street to light the Cauldron and officially open the 2023 Winter World University Games ©FISU