PARIS – “For the first time in the history of the Paralympic Games, the Opening, Ceremony will be held in the heart of the city,” proclaimed Artistic Director of the Paris 2024 Ceremonies, Thomas Jolly.

For Paris, this is its largest city square, Place De La Concorde, and what some call “the most beautiful avenue in the world”: the Champs-Elysées.

Throughout the ceremony, artistic expression was the name of the game. Some of France’s most esteemed musicians saw the stage including Chilly Gonzales, Christine and the Queens, and Sébastien Tellier. Choreographed by Alexander Ekman, “Paradox” portrayed the tale of two very different groups, The “Strict Society” and the “Creative Gang.”

The story was told in 5 segments as the groups, set up to be paradoxes of one another, used artistic expression to come together and bridge gaps created by their differences. They moved from “Discord,” the opening act, to “Concord,” the final act, only because of their ability to work past their differences. The group featured 140 artists, 16 of whom were disabled.

Some segments began with videos playing on two cylindrical screens in the city square. The focus was the struggles Paralympic athletes face because of societies treatment, and the fact that their ability to excel are often not hindered, but sharpened by their disabilities. These testimonies came from French athletes participating in the games.

“The message of this Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony is to recognise ourselves in our different ways of being ‘in the world’… but also to get to know ourselves again”, said Thomas Jolly, Artistic Director of the Paris 2024 Ceremonies. “In this case, by highlighting the unique characteristics of people with disabilities. Living together better starts with mutual consideration: then we can repair, reconcile, adapt, and move forward better together.”

168 nations participated in the Parade of Athletes, including 225 athletes from the USA. The American flag bearers were sitting volleyball player Nicky Nieves and wheelchair basketball player Steve Serio. Nieves won gold with Team USA during her lone prior Paralympic games in 2016, while Serio enters his fifth consecutive Paralympics with two golds and a bronze in his trophy case. President Joe Biden designated a Presidential Delegation to attend the ceremony. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth led it.

French music producer DJ Myd accompanied the parade with mashups of popular music from around the world. The crowd was exuberantly loud, but nothing could compare to its raucous reaction to seeing the French Athletes emerge into Place De La Concorde.

The host country was recognized during the ceremony, with the French flag hoisted up by veterans of the French Armed Force and the performance of the national anthem. This version, by Victor Le Masne, was made to be more emotional and also played for the opening and closing of the Olympics.

“This opening ceremony is more than just a spectacle, it is also a symbol,” said Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic. “It represents the Paris 2024 intention to have the Paralympic Games enter a new chapter of a same Olympic adventure, that of inclusion and pushing one’s limits.” 

The games’ official opening, declared by the President of the French Republic, was preceded by speeches from Tony Estanguet, President of the Games of Paris 2024, and Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee. Both of their messaging centered around the importance of inclusion and the prowess of every Paralympic athlete and both were met by loud applause.

“By staging this event in Place de la Concorde and Champs-Elysées, I feel like Paris is warmly embracing the Paralympic Movement to the heart of this city and the core of this county,” said Parsons.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Paralympic flag by John McFall, a former Paralympic athlete and current orthopedic surgeon, as well as the singing of the Paralympic anthem. This was followed by the Paralympic oath, in which 2 athletes, a judge, and a coach took an oath on behalf of all participants to uphold Paralympic values: determination, equality, inspiration, and courage.

The Paralympic relay began at La Place De Concorde, accompanied by a choreographed dance featuring lit flames and fireworks. The torch was passed from athlete to athlete through the heart of the National Estate of the Louvre and Tuileries until ending at the Cauldron. The cauldron was surrounded by torchbearers who lit it on fire, releasing it into the night sky, which it will illuminate until the end of the games. A joyous celebration directly followed. Wheelchairs spun and acted as light sources while Patrick Hernadez’s “Born to be Alive” was sung by Christine and the Queens. Fireworks spouted out from the La Place De Concorde and flashing lights illuminated the Eiffel Tower. It was a fitting end to a night that celebrated Paralympic athletes and their strength while stressing the importance of working together through differences.