On Wednesday 28 August, Paris will host its first-ever Paralympic Games, and will begin with a spectacular Opening Ceremony in the heart of France's capital.
At 20:00 local time, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées will play host to 4,400 Paralympic athletes from 184 delegations as they celebrate the commencement of 11 days of competition, starting 29 August.
Lead by Thomas Jolly, the spectacle will "showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody", said the Artistic Director for the Ceremonies across the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Paris 2024.
Describing the concept as "first and foremost a magnificent source of inspiration" Jolly promises "performances that have never been seen before" in a "spectacle that will unite spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games”.
The ceremony will again take place outside the confines of a stadium, with athletes parading down the famous avenue, culminating in a celebration and official opening of the Paralympic Games at 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 world’s most famous avenue, surrounded by all the charm of Paris," enthused Jitske Visser, Paralympic wheelchair basketball medallist, IPC Athletes’ Commission President and competitior at Paris 2024.
"This ceremony at the heart of the city is a strong symbol illustrating our ambition to capitalise on our country hosting its first-ever Paralympic Games to position the issue of inclusion for people with disabilities at the heart of our society," said Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 President
An estimated 65,000 spectators will be watching the athletes from more than 180 countries march along the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde before the competitions start on Thursday.
It is the first time in the history of the Paralympics that the opening ceremony, which starts at 7pm local time (6pm in the UK) takes place outside a stadium.
About 4,400 athletes from more than 180 nations will be taking part in the parade, with paralympic champions Lucy Shuker and Terry Bywater being selected as ParalympicsGB's flagbearers.
The ceremony ends at 10pm, before competitions kick off the next day in sports including track cycling, swimming, taekwondo and table tennis.
While there are 28 Paralympic sports in total, only 22 are part of the Paris Games. The contests will be spread across 18 venues and two weeks, with the closing ceremony set for 8 September.
