Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony begins
Organizers expect around 65,000 attendees, with the parade open to the public for free and the ticketed ceremony at Place de la Concorde.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games opening ceremony began under splendid conditions as approximately 4,400 athletes paraded from the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde.
For the first time, the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games is being held outside a stadium in the French capital.
The main event is taking place at Place de la Concorde, set against a perfect summer evening backdrop in the heart of the city, following a procession from the Arc de Triomphe.
Organizers expect around 65,000 attendees, with the parade open to the public for free and the ticketed ceremony at Place de la Concorde.
The Patrouille de France aerial display team painted the sky with blue, white, and red smoke of the Tricolore before the athletes' entrance.
The Games, which mark France's first summer Paralympic Games, commence with competitive events starting on Thursday.
Athletes from 184 delegations will participate in 22 Paralympic sports, contending for a total of 549 gold medals in Paris.
Artistic director Thomas Jolly promised a ceremony that would be "a spectacle showcasing the Paralympic athletes and the values they embody," with "performances never seen before."
The British flag will be carried by wheelchair tennis athlete Lucy Shuker and wheelchair basketball player Terry Bywater, while sprinter Nantenin Keita and Para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant will represent France.
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons anticipates that Paris will deliver "the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever."
