On Wednesday, August 28, Paris will make history as it hosts its first-ever Paralympic Games, kicking off with a spectacular Opening Ceremony in the heart of the French capital. At 8:00 PM local time, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées will welcome 4,400 Paralympic athletes from 184 delegations, who will gather to 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,” according to the Artistic Director for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Ceremonies. Jolly described the event 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.
The ceremony will once again take place outside a traditional stadium setting, with athletes parading down the iconic avenue, culminating in a celebration and the official opening of the Paralympic Games at the historic 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 bring the issue of inclusion for people with disabilities to the forefront of our society,” added Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.