Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs
Prince Harry is gearing up for another “extraordinary” Invictus Games.
The 2025 games will take place from Saturday, February 8, until Sunday, February 16, in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada.
Dominic Reid, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, gushed about the event for wounded or injured service personnel during an interview with People published on Wednesday, February 5.
“It is very important to him as a soldier, it’s very important to him as a person,” Reid said of the royal. “He has absolutely been the person giving guidance and direction. That has been a joy to be involved with.”
“We all get something from it for our own reasons,” Reid said. “But he has created extraordinary opportunities to an extraordinary number of people. They feel seen and heard and cared about.”
Reid said a major highlight was when Harry addressed a NATO military committee briefing via video link in October 2024, “which was an extraordinary place to find ourselves.”
“There’s a really strong synergy between him and the Foundation, and it’s a great thing. Most people see that and respond warmly to it,” he said.
This year will mark Reid’s final games, as he announced in July 2024 that he planned to step down. In a statement on the Invictus Games website, he said: “Now is the time for someone new to take this vital movement forward into its second vigorous decade.”
The Duke of Sussex, 40, created the competition in 2014 after serving in the armed forces for a decade.
Speaking to TSN in November 2024, Harry said the tenth anniversary of the tournament was a “really exciting” milestone.
“The Invictus movement started back in 2014. It’s a sporting platform used for the rehabilitation and support for wounded soldiers, serving and veterans,” Harry said
The Invictus Games made headlines in January after multiple reports noted that it had replaced rifles with lasers.
“The principal reason for the lasers is inclusivity,” a spokesperson for the Invictus Games Foundation told the Daily Mail. “[They] can be used by a wide range of those with disabilities,” they added.
More than 500 competitors from over 20 nations are expected to participate in the 2025 event. A wide range of sports will be featured, including alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing and biathlon, skeleton, and wheelchair curling.
The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 8, and feature performances from Chris Martin, Katy Perry, Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtado, and Roxanne Bruneau.
