OPENING CEREMONY – PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES

OPENING CEREMONY – PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES

Gather, celebrate, inspire, raise awareness.

As a festive and symbolic event, the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games marks the official start of the competitions, a grand celebration of the athletes, and embodies the values of inclusion, diversity, and solidarity championed by the Paralympic movement.

“Changing perceptions of disability” was the main ambition of Paris 2024 and the IPC (International Paralympic Committee). As a moment of communion and emotion, the ceremony was designed to transform societal perceptions of disability.

How? By offering a unique narrative to shift from a view of limitation to one of determination and resilience.

Entitled “Paradox, from discord to concord” the ceremony, choreographed by Alexander Ekman, was held for the first time in the heart of the capital, at Place de la Concorde.

By being prominently featured in the city, Paralympic athletes—models of success—became not just visible, but indispensable.

THE FIRST PARALYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY IN HISTORY ORGANIZED OUTSIDE A STADIUM
• For the first time, Paris is hosting the Paralympic Games in 2024
• Desire to highlight Paralympic athletes in an unprecedented way by offering their sporting performances the most beautiful settings in the capital.
• Create spectacular moments in exceptional settings and “games wide open”
AN AMBITION SHARED BY EVERYONE:
THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE PARALYMPIC GAMES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CHANGE THE VIEW ON DISABILITY
A NEW NARRATIVE
• From a vision of limitation to a vision of combativeness and resilience.
• “PARADOX, FROM DISCORD TO CONCORD” – directed by choreographer Alexander Ekman – explores the paradoxes of a complex relationship between people with disabilities and the rest of society.
• The paradox of Paralympic athletes “sports heroes” VS their daily reality in societies and cities unsuited to their needs.
Key figures:
– 5,100 athletes participating
– 5,000 staff and volunteers
– 4 hours of show