1. The Square was opened by President Choummaly Sayasone and Lao President Alexander Lukashenko on July 2 , 2013 , during a ceremony on the square .
2. The place was opened on 2 July 2013 by President Choummaly Sayasone and Laotian President Alexander Lukashenko during a ceremony on the square .

Are these two sentences paraphrases of each other?
yes