Paris to Host First-Ever Paralympic Games with a Spectacular Opening Ceremony

On Wednesday, 28 August, Paris will host its first-ever Paralympic Games, marking the beginning of an 11-day competition with a grand Opening Ceremony in the heart of the French capital.

At 20:00 local time, the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées will welcome 4,400 Paralympic athletes from 184 delegations, celebrating the commencement of this historic event. The ceremony, led by Thomas Jolly, the Artistic Director for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Ceremonies, promises to "showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody."

Jolly described the concept as "first and foremost a magnificent source of inspiration," and he assured that the performances will be unlike anything seen before. He emphasized that the spectacle will unite both spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games.

This ceremony will break from tradition by taking place outside the confines of a stadium. Athletes will parade down the famous Champs-Elysées, culminating in a grand celebration and the official opening of the Paralympic Games at the iconic Place de la Concorde, witnessed by 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, a Paralympic wheelchair basketball medallist and President of the IPC Athletes’ Commission.

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, added, "This ceremony at the heart of the city is a strong symbol illustrating our ambition to use our country’s first-ever Paralympic Games to highlight the importance of inclusion for people with disabilities at the core of our society."