The president and first lady Sirje Karis will join other heads of state and government at the Trocadero gardens on Friday, to watch the ceremony, which will include a river parade along the Seine.

Ahead of the ceremony, President Karis said: "The Olympic Games are a celebration of sport which unites peoples and nations, while the athlete at the center has been preparing for this moment all their life."

"Alongside competition, the olympic ideals have been mastery, respect and friendship. Ideals that, in addition to chance and fellowship, shape olympics from olympics," the head of state went on.

The president also reflected on the olympic ideals as underpinning a more peaceful world.

While in Paris, the head of state will visit the Olympic village and meet the Estonian Olympic team and their supporters, and watch some of the Estonian competitors taking part.

During his working visit, President Karis, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, also took part part in the "Sports and Sustainable Development" summit, dedicated to the promotion of children's movement, health and education.

The president stressed the importance of a holistic and cross-sectoral approach to increasing children's physical activity at Thursday's summit.

Sirje Karis is taking part in a meeting of spouses of heads of state and government, at the invitation of French first lady Brigitte Macron.

President Alar Karis and first lady Sirje Karis are due to return to Estonia on Sunday.

The XXXIII Summer Olympic Games in Paris will begin on Friday, July 26 and run until Sunday, August 11. Estonia is this time being represented by 25 athletes, across 14 different disciplines.

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