Official opening of the 17th Mediterranean Games hosted by Turkey will be held on Thursday in Turkey's southern port city of Mersin.
Turkish PM Erdogan will inaugurate the 17th Mediterranean Games with President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge.
Around three thousand athletes from two-dozen countries will compete in the Mediterranean Games. Turkey ranks the first with 430 athletes to take part in the games followed by Italy with 421 athletes and France with 258 athletes. There will also be nine athletes from Syria.
In men's events, 218 athletes will be competing in the fields of athletics, 160 in handball and 144 in football while in women's events 240 athletes will compete in volleyball, 173 in athletics and 160 in handball.
Turkish pop diva Ajda Pekkan will give a concert at the opening ceremony that will also feature a grand parade of the athletes.
