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After a historic Olympic opening ceremony on the Seine river, the opening of the 2024 Paralympic Games on Wednesday will be equally historic with an event that will be held outside a stadium for the first time.
The ceremony promises to be a visual treat in the heart of Paris, from l’Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. Thomas Jolly, who was the artistic director of the Olympic opening ceremony is also the artistic director of the Paralympic inaugural event and he chooses an untrodden path once again just by choosing a venue other than a closed enclosure.
Paris, the city of love will be transformed into a monumental stage for nearly three hours. The organisers expect 50,000 spectators to witness the unfurling of the Paralympic games.
Around 4400 para athletes belonging to 184 delegations and embodying the 22 different sports of the Paralympics will take part in the traditional parade on the world’s most magical avenue, Les Champs-Elysées. The famous défilé or parade will be free of charge to the public. Therefore, the organisers call this a “parade populaire.”
The official event will then be held at the Place de la Concorde on a large podium measuring 4,500 square meters. Ticket costs for this event range from 150 to 700 euros.
The Olympic cauldron lit by the Olympic flame that was extinguished during the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games on 11 August, will illuminate the Parisian sky once again. Actor Jackie Chan will be one of the international celebrities who will carry the Paralympic flame during Wednesday’s spectacular show.
Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman is the man behind the performances He is well-known for his epic scenographies of operas and plays. To ensure that inclusivity is at the core of the artistic moment, he has selected dancers with disabilities. “They are extraordinary. They are more capable than many able-bodied people, both mentally and physically,” he told Agence France-Presse.
The organisers of Paris 2024 aim to ensure the integration of universal accessibility in all aspects of the ceremony so that athletes, participants and spectators can fully enjoy a barrier-free experience.
Beyond the Games, “Paris 2024 wishes to leave a lasting and necessary legacy by changing the way we view disability,” said the organisers in an interview that appeared in Libération, a French national daily. Tony Estanguet, the President of Paris 2024 said, “The idea is to send out strong messages of inclusion because in our country, disability is the principal source of discrimination,” when he appeared on a TV show on national television.
Specific seats will be provided for people with disabilities, in particular for those in wheelchairs and accompanying persons. Fifteen thousand police personnel will be mobilized.
Of the 50,000 spectators 35,000 will occupy the stands at Place de la Concorde and 15,000 spots will be open to the public along the Champs-Elysées. Internal security and anti-terrorism perimeters will be set up around the Place de la Concorde and the jardins des Tuileries.
During the ceremony, pedestrians and cyclists can freely enter the area around the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde, but they will be subject to security checks. People in vehicles will require a digital pass, reserved for local residents and workers, under certain conditions.
The Paralympic Games will continue for ten days. The closing ceremony will be held on Sunday, 8 September at the Stade de France stadium.
