On Wednesday, August 28, Paris will host its first-ever Paralympic Games, beginning with a spectacular Opening Ceremony in the heart of the French capital. At 20:00 local time, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées will welcome 4,400 Paralympic athletes from 184 delegations as they celebrate the start of 11 days of competition, beginning on August 29.
Directed by Thomas Jolly, the ceremony will “showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values they embody,” said the Artistic Director for the Ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Jolly described the concept as “a magnificent source of inspiration,” promising “performances that have never been seen before” in a “spectacle that will unite spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games.
Once again, the ceremony will take place outside the confines of a stadium, with athletes parading down the famous avenue, culminating in a celebration and the official opening of the Paralympic Games at the iconic square in front of thousands of spectators.
“What an incredible moment for our athletes, who will be part of a historic Opening Ceremony on the world’s most famous avenue, surrounded by all the charm of Paris,” said Jitske Visser, Paralympic wheelchair basketball medalist, IPC Athletes’ Commission President, and competitor at Paris 2024.
“This ceremony in the heart of the city is a powerful symbol of our ambition to use our country’s first-ever Paralympic Games to place the issue of inclusion for people with disabilities at the forefront of our society,” added Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.