In a significant event for the international sports community, Paris has officially opened the 2024 Paralympic Games with a nearly four-hour-long ceremony held in the heart of the city, just weeks after hosting the Olympic Games. Thousands of athletes paraded down the famous Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde, where French President Emmanuel Macron proclaimed the Paralympic Games open on Wednesday evening.
Security was heightened, with approximately 15,000 law enforcement officers present; however, the atmosphere remained light and summery as the sun set over the French capital. “Dear athletes, welcome to the land of love and revolution. Rest assured that this evening, there will be neither the storming of the Bastille nor any guillotine, for tonight begins the most beautiful revolution—the Paralympic revolution,” stated Tony Estanguet, president of Paris 2024, in his speech. “It is a sweet revolution that will profoundly change us all.”
The live show commenced at the foot of the obelisk in Place de la Concorde, featuring Canadian musician Chilly Gonzales. Artists with disabilities performed alongside able-bodied performers, and French singer Christine and the Queens delivered a pop rendition of Edith Piaf’s classic “Non, Je ne regrette rien.” As the parade of athletes from 168 nations began, volunteers celebrated by dancing and cheering.
About 50,000 spectators witnessed the ceremony from stands erected around the iconic square, which is the largest in Paris, easily recognizable due to its ancient Egyptian obelisk. Access for athletes in wheelchairs was facilitated by asphalt strips laid along the boulevard and across the square. More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities will compete in 22 sports from Thursday until September 8.
Organizers reported that over 2 million of the 2.8 million tickets available for various Paralympic events have already been sold. The opening ceremony took place outdoors, similar to the Olympics, which opened in the city on July 26. Fighter jets flew overhead, leaving trails of red, white, and blue smoke in the colors of the French flag before the delegations entered the square in alphabetical order.
Some delegations were large, with over 250 athletes from Brazil, while others were smaller, such as Barbados and just three from Myanmar. French athletes were the last to enter and received roaring applause from the crowd, who sang along to popular French songs, including “Que je t’aime” by the late rocker Johnny Hallyday. Throughout the show, directed by Thomas Jolly, who also oversaw the Olympic opening ceremony, performers—both with and without disabilities—shared the stage, projecting a theme of inclusion and overcoming physical differences.
Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, expressed hope that the Paris Paralympics would initiate an “inclusion revolution” beyond the realm of sports. “The Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 will showcase what people with disabilities can achieve at the highest level when barriers to success are removed,” he stated in his speech. “That these opportunities largely only exist in sports in the year 2024 is shocking. It is proof that we can and must do more to promote the inclusion of disabled individuals—whether on the playing field, in the classroom, concert hall, or boardroom.”
Although the show commenced at 8 PM local time (18:00 GMT), fans had gathered several hours in advance under a hot sun to secure the best viewing spots along the route. While performers entertained the audience on stage, volunteers danced alongside Paralympians, waving their national flags as the sky was illuminated by a postcard-worthy orange glow.
In contrast to last month’s Olympic opening ceremony, which was held in pouring rain but did not dampen audience enthusiasm along the Seine, this event proceeded without security issues, though it sparked controversy due to a tableau reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”
As the ceremony concluded, the Paralympic torch was carried into the area by former Olympic gold medalist in wheelchair tennis, Michael Jeremiasz, embraced by dozens of torchbearers on stage. Five French Paralympians lit the Olympic flame, designed to resemble a hot air balloon and shining golden in the night. The Paralympic flags were raised high into the night sky, with its emblem adorning the top of the Arc de Triomphe, located about three kilometers away.
The ceremony concluded with fireworks and another rendition of Christine and the Queens’ cover of Patrick Hernandez’s 1978 hit “Born to be Alive,” before Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je T’aime Moi Non Plus” echoed across Place de la Concorde. The first medals will be awarded on Thursday in taekwondo, table tennis, swimming, and track cycling. Athletes are grouped by levels of disability to ensure a fair playing field. The closing ceremony will take place at Stade de France, the national stadium.