The first ever Paralympic Games will be held in Paris on Wednesday 28 August. The Games will begin 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 to celebrate the start of 11 days of competition, which begins on August 29.

Under the direction of Thomas Jolly, the spectacle will “put the spotlight on Paralympic athletes and the values ​​they embody,” said the artistic director of the ceremonies around the world. Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jolly describes the concept as “first and foremost a great source of inspiration” and promises “performances never seen before” in a “spectacle that will unite spectators and television audiences around the world around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games”.

The ceremony will once again take place outside the stadium walls, with athletes parading down the famous avenue, culminating in a celebration and official opening of the Paralympic Games on the iconic 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 most famous avenue in the world, surrounded by all the charm of Paris,” said an enthusiastic Jitske VisserParalympic wheelchair basketball medalist, IPC Athletes Commission Chair and Paris 2024 participant.

“This ceremony in the heart of the city is a powerful symbol of our ambition to benefit from the very first Paralympic Games in our country and to put the issue of disability inclusion at the heart of our society,” said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.