Paraguay has taken a key step in the development of sport in the Americas with the official opening of the Olympic Aquatic Center, considered the most modern complex of its kind in South America. Located on the grounds of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, this state-of-the-art facility has been made possible thanks to the strong support of the national government and stands as one of the most emblematic projects of the legacy of the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción. With an investment of $15 million, the center meets the most demanding technical standards of World Aquatics and symbolizes Paraguay’s commitment to high-performance sports in the region.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic, Santiago Peña; the President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee, Camilo Pérez López Moreira; the President of Panam Sports, Neven Ilic; and the Minister of Sports, César Ramírez Caje. Members of the Panam Sports Executive Committee and other prominent figures from the Olympic Movement in the Americas also attended. The event concluded with an artistic performance that highlighted the union between culture, youth, and sport, core values of ASU2025.
Pan American Flame Lighting Ceremony
In the same spirit of legacy and unity, Paraguay celebrated the Pan American Flame Lighting Ceremony at the Jesuit Missions of Jesús de Tavarangüé and Santísima Trinidad del Paraná, recognized as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In this enclave of great historical and spiritual significance, the torch began its journey through the country’s 17 departments. National authorities and representatives of the Olympic Movement shared messages of hope and continental integration, highlighting the role of sport as a driving force for the future of American youth.
The flame, inspired by the ancestral Guaraní tatá, not only represents the Games, but also recalls the ability of sport to guide new generations toward a more promising future across the continent.
Camilo Pérez (r), COP, and Ernesto Fernández, UNESCO.
Agreement between the COP and UNESCO
In this context, the Paraguayan Olympic Committee signed a cooperation agreement with the UNESCO Regional Office for South America. The document, signed by Camilo Pérez López Moreira and Ernesto Fernández Polcuch, director of the office for Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, establishes a joint roadmap in key areas such as values education, social inclusion, gender equality, cultural diversity, human rights, and the protection of cultural heritage linked to sport.
The sum of these milestones—first-rate infrastructure, high-impact institutional cooperation, and powerful cultural symbolism—reflects the excellent moment Paraguay is experiencing in the field of sports. From the center of South America, the country is promoting an ambitious and inclusive vision, building a legacy that transcends the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción and positioning sports as an engine of development and social transformation.
