Jump to content

2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Interim checkin - lots more to come
No edit summary
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
 
(30 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 15: Line 15:
}}
}}
{{2024 Summer Paralympics}}
{{2024 Summer Paralympics}}
The [[Olympic ceremonies|opening ceremony]] of the [[2024 Summer Paralympics]] took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the [[Place de la Concorde]] in [[Paris]]. It was the first time that a Paralympic Games opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium. Like the [[2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]], this event was directed by [[Thomas Jolly (artist)|Thomas Jolly]]. The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",<ref name="InsideTheGames" /> and featured more than 500 dancers and performers. Unlike the [[2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympic opening ceremony]], which took place mostly under rain, the weather was clear and sunny with a view of sunset during the ceremony.
The [[Olympic ceremonies|opening ceremony]] of the [[2024 Summer Paralympics]] took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the [[Place de la Concorde]] in [[Paris]]. It was the first time that a Summer Paralympic Games opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium. Like the [[2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]], this event was directed by [[Alexander Ekman (artist)|Alexander Ekman]] and [[Thomas Jolly]]. The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",<ref name="InsideTheGames" /> and featured more than 500 dancers and performers. Unlike the Olympics opening ceremony, which took place mostly under rain, the weather was clear and sunny with a view of sunset during the ceremony.


The [[2024 Summer Paralympics Parade of Nations|Parade of Nations]] took place on the [[Champs-Élysées]] starting at the Rond-point des Champs-Élysées, and ending at [[Place de la Concorde]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yamak |first=Djaid |date=22 August 2024 |title=Paralympic Games: What we know about the opening ceremony |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/paris-2024-paralympics/article/2024/08/22/paralympic-games-what-we-know-about-the-opening-ceremony_6719628_360.html|access-date=25 August 2024 |newspaper=[[Le Monde]]}}</ref> The final leg culminated with multiple torch bearers coming together, who then lit the [[2024 Summer Olympics cauldron|Paralympic cauldron]], a ring of 40 computerised LEDs and 200 high-pressure water aerosol spray dispensers which was topped by a 30-metre-tall helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon, rising in the air, reminiscent of the [[Montgolfier brothers]]' experiments leading to the first hot air balloon flight in 1783.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vasavda |first=Mihir |date=28 July 2024 |title=40 LED lights, a cloud of water-vapour for illumination, 200 high-pressure misting nozzles: How flying cauldron of Paris Olympics is lit up |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/paris-2024-olympics-cauldron-opening-ceremony-9479655/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728015312/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/paris-2024-olympics-cauldron-opening-ceremony-9479655/ |archive-date=28 July 2024 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref> Performers included French singer [[Christine and the Queens]].
The [[2024 Summer Paralympics Parade of Nations|Parade of Nations]] took place on the [[Champs-Élysées]] starting at the Rond-point des Champs-Élysées, and ending at [[Place de la Concorde]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yamak |first=Djaid |date=22 August 2024 |title=Paralympic Games: What we know about the opening ceremony |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/paris-2024-paralympics/article/2024/08/22/paralympic-games-what-we-know-about-the-opening-ceremony_6719628_360.html|access-date=25 August 2024 |newspaper=[[Le Monde]]}}</ref> The final leg culminated with multiple torch bearers coming together, who then lit the [[2024 Summer Olympics cauldron|Paralympic cauldron]], a ring of 40 computerised LEDs and 200 high-pressure water aerosol spray dispensers which was topped by a 30-metre-tall helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon, rising in the air, reminiscent of the [[Montgolfier brothers]]' experiments leading to the first hot air balloon flight in 1783. Performers included French singer [[Christine and the Queens]].


==Preparations==
==Preparations==
The [[Olympic ceremonies|opening ceremony]] of the [[2024 Summer Paralympics]] took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the [[Place de la Concorde]] in [[Paris]]. It was the first time that a Paralympic Games opening ceremony had been held outside of a stadium.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kindermans |first=Marion |date=20 October 2022 |title=JO 2024 : les Jeux paralympiques s'offrent la place de la Concorde à Paris pour la cérémonie d'ouverture |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/pme-regions/ile-de-france/jo-2024-les-jeux-paralympiques-soffrent-la-place-de-la-concorde-a-paris-pour-la-ceremonie-douverture-1871402 |access-date=2 August 2023 |newspaper=[[Les Echos (France)|Les Echos]] |language=fr}}</ref> The venue was already equipped with temporary stands installed a few weeks earlier for the Olympic [[Skateboarding at the 2024 Summer Olympics|skateboarding]], [[Breaking at the 2024 Summer Olympics|breakdancing]], [[Cycling at the Summer Olympics#BMX|BMX freestyle]] and [[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics#3X3 basketball]] events. Seating was provided for 35,000 paying and accredited spectators. Another 30,000 spectators could view the parade to the Place de la Concorde for free from along the [[Champs-Elysées]].<ref>{{cite web |language=fr |title=Jeux paralympiques de Paris 2024 : cérémonie d'ouverture place de la Concorde |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/jeux-olympiques/jeux-paralympiques-de-paris-2024-ceremonie-d-ouverture-place-de-la-concorde-20220623 |newspaper=[[Le Figaro]] |date=23 June 2022 |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>
The [[Olympic ceremonies|opening ceremony]] of the [[2024 Summer Paralympics]] took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the [[Place de la Concorde]] in [[Paris]]. It was the first time that a Paralympic Games opening ceremony had been held outside of a stadium.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kindermans |first=Marion |date=20 October 2022 |title=JO 2024 : les Jeux paralympiques s'offrent la place de la Concorde à Paris pour la cérémonie d'ouverture |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/pme-regions/ile-de-france/jo-2024-les-jeux-paralympiques-soffrent-la-place-de-la-concorde-a-paris-pour-la-ceremonie-douverture-1871402 |access-date=2 August 2023 |newspaper=[[Les Echos (France)|Les Echos]] |language=fr}}</ref> The venue was already equipped with temporary stands installed a few weeks earlier for the Olympic [[Skateboarding at the 2024 Summer Olympics|skateboarding]], [[Breaking at the 2024 Summer Olympics|breakdancing]], [[Cycling at the Summer Olympics#BMX|BMX freestyle]] and [[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics#3X3 basketball|3X3 basketball]] events. Seating was provided for 35,000 paying and accredited spectators. Another 30,000 spectators could view the parade to the Place de la Concorde for free from along the [[Champs-Elysées]].<ref>{{cite web |language=fr |title=Jeux paralympiques de Paris 2024 : cérémonie d'ouverture place de la Concorde |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/jeux-olympiques/jeux-paralympiques-de-paris-2024-ceremonie-d-ouverture-place-de-la-concorde-20220623 |newspaper=[[Le Figaro]] |date=23 June 2022 |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>


Unlike the [[2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympic opening ceremony]], which took place in cold weather and mostly in the rain, the skies were clear, with a view of a colourful sunset during the ceremony. It was warm, at 30°C, and somewhat humid.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paralympic quick hits: The opening ceremony turns red, white and blue, DJ Myd brings the hits, and joy for the Australian team in Paris |publisher= ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/paralympics-opening-ceremony-five-quick-hits/104284296 |access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=First Paralympics in France open with stunning ceremony |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/paris-2024/news/opening-ceremony-review |access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref> The stage consisted of two runways flanking the [[Luxor Obelisk]]. At the end of each were huge cylindrical video screens. The ceremony involved 500 performers. There were 1,100 accredited media present, and the event was viewed by an estimated television audience of 300 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/28/paris-paralympics-make-powerful-start-in-journey-from-discord-to-concord |title=Paris Paralympics make powerful start in journey from discord to concord |last1=MacInnes |first1=Paul |date=29 August 2024 |access-date=30 August 2024 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref name="Media Guide" /> Security was provided by 15,000 personnel.<ref name="ABC News" /> The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",<ref name="InsideTheGames">{{Cite web |last=Daffunchio Picazo |first=Raúl |date=22 August 2024 |title=Paris 2024 Paralympics set to dazzle the world |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147987/paris-2024-paralympics-dazzle-the-world |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824032440/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147987/paris-2024-paralympics-dazzle-the-world |archive-date=24 August 2024 |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=InsideTheGames.biz}}</ref> and was titled "Paradox: Form Discord to Concord". Each artistic sequence was built around the theme of working together to create a better and more inclusive society.<ref name="Media Guide" />
Unlike the [[2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympic opening ceremony]], which took place in cold weather and mostly in the rain, the skies were clear, with a view of a colourful sunset during the ceremony. It was warm, at 30°C, and somewhat humid.<ref>{{cite news |title=Paralympic quick hits: The opening ceremony turns red, white and blue, DJ Myd brings the hits, and joy for the Australian team in Paris |newspaper= ABC News |date= 29 August 2024 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/paralympics-opening-ceremony-five-quick-hits/104284296 |access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=First Paralympics in France open with stunning ceremony |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/paris-2024/news/opening-ceremony-review |access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref> The stage consisted of two runways flanking the [[Luxor Obelisk]]. At the end of each were huge cylindrical video screens. The ceremony involved 500 performers. There were 1,100 accredited media present, and the event was viewed by an estimated television audience of 300 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/28/paris-paralympics-make-powerful-start-in-journey-from-discord-to-concord |title=Paris Paralympics make powerful start in journey from discord to concord |last1=MacInnes |first1=Paul |date=29 August 2024 |access-date=30 August 2024 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref name="Media Guide" /> Security was provided by 15,000 personnel.<ref name="ABC News" /> The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",<ref name="InsideTheGames">{{Cite web |last=Daffunchio Picazo |first=Raúl |date=22 August 2024 |title=Paris 2024 Paralympics set to dazzle the world |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147987/paris-2024-paralympics-dazzle-the-world |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824032440/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147987/paris-2024-paralympics-dazzle-the-world |archive-date=24 August 2024 |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=InsideTheGames.biz}}</ref> and was titled "Paradox: Form Discord to Concord". Each artistic sequence was built around the theme of working together to create a better and more inclusive society.<ref name="Media Guide" />


==Producers==
* Artistic director: [[Thomas Jolly]]<ref name="Media Guide">{{cite web |title=Paradox: From Discord to Concord - Opening Ceremony of the Paris Paralympic Games - Media Guide |publisher=Paris 2024 |date=28 August 2024 |url=https://press.paris2024.org/download-pdf/66cf9efe91b6a6caca09a708 |access-date=23 September 2023 }}</ref>
* Music director: {{Interlanguage link|Victor Le Masne|fr}}<ref name=MLP>{{cite web|url=https://press.paris2024.org/news/maud-le-pladec-named-as-director-of-dance-for-the-four-ceremonies-of-the-games-of-paris-2024-and-choreographer-of-the-olympic-games-opening-ceremony-a627-7578a.html|title=Maud Le Pladec, named as Director of Dance for the four ceremonies of the Games of Paris 2024 and choreographer of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony|date=18 June 2024|publisher=Paris 2024|access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>
* Choreographer and Artistic Director:
** [[Alexander Ekman]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ekman to direct the staging and choreography of Paris 2024 Paralympic Opening Ceremony |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/ekman-named-stage-and-choreography-director-opening-ceremony |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref>
* Scenography: Bruno Delavenère<ref name="Media Guide" />
* Costume designer: Louis Gabriel<ref name="Media Guide" />
* Lighting creation: Thomas Dechandon<ref name="Media Guide" />

==Proceedings==
===Welcome to Paris===
The ceremony opened with a video featuring {{ill|Théo Curin|fr}}, a French Paralympic swimmer and a member of the Athletes' Commission of the [[Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games]]. Curin was the host of a show called "Théo Le Taxi" on [[France Télévisions]], the official broadcaster of the 2024 Paralympic Games. For the opening ceremony, he arrived in a taxi provided by Toyota, one of the Games' sponsors, and decorated with hundreds of toy [[Phryges]], the Games' ubiquitous mascot.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Paralympic Games opening ceremony: can the Phryges cab take you around Paris? |publisher= Sortiraparis.com |url=https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/news/olympic-games-paris-2024/articles/318906-paralympic-games-opening-ceremony-can-the-phryges-cab-take-you-around-paris |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>

=== Official Introduction ===
The President of France, [[Emmanuel Macron]], and the President of the International Paralympic Committee, [[Andrew Parsons (sports administrator)|Andrew Parsons]], were introduced.

=== Discord ===
The canadian pianist [[Chilly Gonzales]] opened the sequence with a piano performance. He was joined by 140 dancers in suits representing the "Strict Society", whose costumes symbolized rigidity, and 16 performers with disabilities representing the "Creative Gang", whose costumes symbolized freedom. The Creative Gang included [[Chelsie Hill]], a founder of the Rollettes wheelchair dance team, and Israeli Para dancing champion [[Tomer Margalit]] and her dance partner [[Orel Chalaf]].<gallery mode="packed" widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - discord 06.jpg|"Strict Society" dancers perform before a Toyota taxi decorated with toy [[Phryges]]
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - discord 04.jpg|"Strict Society" and "Creative Gang" dancers with Chelsie Hill (in wheelchair)
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - discord 15.jpg|"Strict Society" dancers
</gallery>
The interactions between both groups on stage was meant as a representation of the paradoxical relationship between persons with disabilities and wider society, with the choreography depicting inappropriate gestures, acts of exclusion, and the objectification of the Creative Gang by the Strict Society.

At the end of the segment, the two groups came together as French singer [[Christine and the Queens]] performed [[Edith Piaf]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Non, je ne regrette rien]]}}.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Christine and the Queens Perform at Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony |magazine =Rolling Stone |first=Daniel |last=Kreps |date=29 August 2024 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/christine-and-the-queens-electrifying-performance-at-paris-paralympics-opening-ceremony-1235090820/ |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Margalit continues her love affair with Lomianki |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/margalit-continues-her-love-affair-lomianki |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>

===The Parade of Athletes===
Olympic and Paralympic [[Phryges]] danced and play acted on stage while the 168 delegations of athletes entered the Place de Concorde in French alphabetical order, except for Australia, the United States and France, which brought up the rear in that order as the host nations of the [[2032 Summer Paralympics|2032]], [[2028 Summer Paralympics|2028]] and 2024 Summer Paralympics respectively. As the French contingent entered, Joe Dassin's "[[Les Champs-Élysées (song)|Les Champs-Élysées]]" as well as [[Yann Tiersen]]'s theme from the film ''[[Amélie]]'' were played, and the crowd chanted "{{lang|fr|Allez Les Bleus}}".<ref>{{cite web|last=Lena|first=Smirnova|title=Vibrant Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony calls for "inclusion revolution" through sport under lights of historical French square|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-paralympic-games-opening-ceremony-concorde-flame-cauldron|website=Olympics.com|publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=28 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="ABC News">{{cite web |title=Paralympics 2024 - Australia's athletes march in the Paris Opening Ceremony in the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, as it happened |first=Andrew |last=McGarry |agency=Reuters |date=29 August 2024 |publisher= ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/paralympics-2024-opening-ceremony-live-blog/104278874 |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" widths="220px" heights="220px">
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - Australia.jpg|Australian contingent enters with the flag carried by [[Madison de Rozario]] and [[Brenden Hall]]
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - dancing mascots 26.jpg|Dancing [[The Phryges|Phryges]] mascots
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony 08.jpg|The [[Patrouille de France]] flies over the Place de la Concorde to start the parade
</gallery>

=== My Ability ===
The segment opened with a film depicting various persons with disabilities narrating their journeys to self-acceptance over their disabilities.

Afterwards, the one-armed French singer {{ill|Luc Bruyère|fr|lt=Lucky Love}} sang "My Ability", with the Strict Society joining him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ghys |first1=Clément |last2=Foricher |first2=Enora |date=29 August 2024 |title=Lucky Love: 'I'm familiar with rejection. I'm not afraid of it. I'm an artist. I sing.' |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/m-le-mag/article/2024/08/29/lucky-love-i-m-familiar-with-rejection-i-m-not-afraid-of-it-i-m-an-artist-i-sing_6723148_117.html |access-date=25 September 2024 |newspaper=[[Le Monde]]}}</ref> This sequence represented the Strict Society's realization of their internalized prejudices, leading to self reflections and their awakening.<ref name="Media Guide" />

===Protocol===
A video was shown depicting the origins of the Paralympic movement under Sir [[Ludwig Guttmann]] at the spinal injuries hospital in [[Stoke Mandeville]] in the UK.

French Armed Forces personnel raised the [[French flag]] while the French National Anthem, {{lang|fr|[[La Marseillaise]]}} was performed by music director {{Interlanguage link|Victor Le Masne|fr}}. Brief speeches were given by [[Tony Estanguet]], the President of the Games of Paris 2024, and [[Andrew Parsons (sports administrator)|Andrew Parsons]], the President of the [[International Paralympic Committee]]. [[Emmanuel Macron]], the [[President of France]], then officially declared the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Spectacular opening ceremony takes Paralympic values to new heights |website=www.insidethegames.biz |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1148149/spectacular-ceremony-paralympic-values |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>

=== New Ways ===
A video was shown in which blind Canadian [[YouTube]] personality [[Molly Burke]], quadriplegic comedian [[Martin Petit]], and the amputee Lucie Retail spoke frankly about their respective disabilities, the way they affect their lives and the way they are perceived and treated by others.

=== Sportography ===
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک (5).jpg|thumb|251x251px|''Sportography'' choreographed performance]]
The video was followed by another choreographed performance with the Strict Society and the Creative Gang, featuring one-armed [[hip-hop]] dancer Angelina Bruno, wheelchair dancer [[Piotr Iwanicki]] and Musa Motha, a finalist on ''[[Britain's Got Talent series 16|Britain's Got Talent]]'' in 2023 and ''[[America's Got Talent: Fantasy League]]''.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="Games get under way">{{cite news |title=Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony: Games get under way |first1=Katy |last1=Murrells |first2=Nadeem |last2=Badshah |date=29 August 2024 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2024/aug/28/paris-2024-paralympics-opening-ceremony-place-de-la-concorde-champs-elysees-live |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>

The segment depicted both groups coming together, blending dance, sport, and art into a fictional game that highlighted teamwork and adaptive sport, as well as the overcoming of physical differences.<ref name="Media Guide" />

=== Paralympic Flag, Anthem and Oaths ===
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک (22).jpg|alt=The Paralympic Flag is carried by six individuals|thumb|250x250px|The Paralympic Flag is carried across the stage]]
The [[Paralympic flag]] was brought on stage by British Paralympic sprinter and astronaut [[John McFall (athlete)|John McFall]] and French sailor [[Damien Seguin]], while visually impaired musician Luan Pommier, played the Paralympic Anthem on the piano.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="Games get under way" /> French athletes [[Sandrine Martinet]] and [[Arnaud Assoumani]] took the Paralympic Oath, along with a coach and an official.<ref name="Unprecedented">{{cite web |title=Paris 2024 Paralympic Games launched with an unprecedented opening ceremony in the heart of Paris |website=press.paris2024.org |url=https://press.paris2024.org/news/paris-2024-paralympic-games-launched-with-an-unprecedented-opening-ceremony-in-the-heart-of-paris-2812e-7578a.html |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>

=== Arrival of the Flame ===
The [[2024 Summer Paralympics torch relay]] saw the Paralympic flame lit in Stoke Mandeville on 24 August and carried through the [[Channel Tunnel]] by 24 British and 24 French torch bearers. The flame was divided into twelve flames, which were carried through France by 1,000 torch bearers. As the flame entered the arena, it was greeted by 150 dancers and performers carrying torches.<ref name="Media Guide" /> To symbolise the connection between the Olympics and Paralympics, the flame was brought into the Place de la Concorde by [[Florent Manaudou]], the flag bearer of the French Olympic team, and handed to Paralympian [[Michael Jeremiasz]], the French Paralympic [[chef de mission]].<ref name="Unprecedented" />

=== Concord ===
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک.jpg|thumb|250x250px|150 dancers with torches surround the Paralympic flame during the ''Concord'' segment]]
The flame was then carried in turn by three international Paralympic champions: Italian wheelchair fencer [[Bebe Vio]], American multi paralympic sportperson [[Oksana Masters]] and the German long jumper [[Markus Rehm]].

As the flame was handed over between the torchbearers, the 150 dancers carrying torches performed a choreography set to Maurice Ravel's ''Bolero''. This represented the achieving of concord, a contrast to the previous segment ''Discord'' which opened the ceremony. The segment culminated with the formation of the Paralympic agitos, and the flame's departure from the Place de la Concorde.<ref name="Media Guide" />

=== Lighting of the Cauldron ===
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک (37).jpg|thumb|The Paralympic cauldron after being lit]]
The torch was then carried to the [[Jardin des Tuileries]] by three French champions: [[Assia El Hannouni]], {{ill|Christian Lachaud|fr}} and [[Béatrice Hess]]. French athletes [[Charles-Antoine Kouakou]], [[Nantenin Keïta]], [[Fabien Lamirault]], [[Alexis Hanquinquant]] and [[Élodie Lorandi]] lit the cauldron.<ref name="Unprecedented" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Paralympics opening ceremony: Paris showcases riveting outdoor ceremony in historic first |date= 29 August 2024 |publisher= CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/29/sport/paris-paralympics-opening-ceremony-intl-spt/index.html |access-date=26 September 2024}}</ref> The cauldron took the form of a 7-metre diameter ring of fire with 40 computerised LEDs and 200 high-pressure water aerosol spray dispensers which was topped by a 30-metre-tall helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon 22 metres in diameter, that rose in the air, reminiscent of the first flight in a hydrogen balloon by [[Jacques Charles]] and the [[Robert brothers]] in Paris in 1783.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vasavda |first=Mihir |date=28 July 2024 |title=40 LED lights, a cloud of water-vapour for illumination, 200 high-pressure misting nozzles: How flying cauldron of Paris Olympics is lit up |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/paris-2024-olympics-cauldron-opening-ceremony-9479655/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728015312/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/paris-2024-olympics-cauldron-opening-ceremony-9479655/ |archive-date=28 July 2024 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref>

=== Celebration ===
The ceremony concluded with a laser light and fireworks display. Dancers performed on stage, which was flooded with colour in tribute to British artist [[Sue Austin]], who used a wheelchair to paint, while Christine and the Queens sang [[Patrick Hernandez]]'s "[[Born to Be Alive (song)|Born to Be Alive]]".<ref name="Media Guide" /><gallery mode=packed widths=220px heights=220px>
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony 23.jpg|Laser light display
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony 25.jpg|Fireworks
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony 38.jpg|Fireworks
</gallery>
==Dignitaries==
==Dignitaries==
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک (13).jpg|thumb|right|Dignitaries including [[Andrew Parsons (sports administrator)|Andrew Parsons]], [[Emmanuel Macron]], [[Brigitte Macron]], [[Tony Estanguet]] and [[Anne Hidalgo]] ]]
[[File:افتتاحیه مسابقات پارالمپیک (13).jpg|thumb|right|Dignitaries including [[Andrew Parsons (sports administrator)|Andrew Parsons]], [[Emmanuel Macron]], [[Brigitte Macron]], [[Tony Estanguet]] and [[Anne Hidalgo]] ]]
Dignitaries who attended the ceremony included the following:<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 August 2024 |title=Qui sont les chefs d’État reçus par Emmanuel Macron avant la cérémonie des Jeux paralympiques? |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/jeux-olympiques/qui-sont-les-chefs-detat-recus-par-emmanuel-macron-avant-la-ceremonie-des-jeux-paralympiques-8c81f11e-6536-11ef-9eb6-0615c3e175fc |newspaper=[[Ouest-France]] |language=fr}}</ref>
Dignitaries who attended the ceremony included the following:<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 August 2024 |title=Qui sont les chefs d'État reçus par Emmanuel Macron avant la cérémonie des Jeux paralympiques? |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/jeux-olympiques/qui-sont-les-chefs-detat-recus-par-emmanuel-macron-avant-la-ceremonie-des-jeux-paralympiques-8c81f11e-6536-11ef-9eb6-0615c3e175fc |newspaper=[[Ouest-France]] |language=fr}}</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 76: Line 152:
| {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
| {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
| [[Keir Starmer]]
| [[Keir Starmer]]
| Prime minister
| Prime Minister
|- valign="top"
|- valign="top"
| {{flagcountry|United States}}
| {{flagcountry|United States}}
Line 106: Line 182:
| President
| President
|}
|}

==Organisers==
* Artistic director: [[Thomas Jolly]]<ref name="Media Guide">{{cite web |title=Paradox: From Discord to Concord - Opening Ceremony of the Paris Paralympic Games - Media Guide |publisher=Paris 2024 |date=28 August 2024 |url=https://press.paris2024.org/download-pdf/66cf9efe91b6a6caca09a708 |access-date=23 September 2023 }}</ref>
* Music director: {{Interlanguage link|Victor Le Masne|fr}}<ref name=MLP>{{cite web|url=https://press.paris2024.org/news/maud-le-pladec-named-as-director-of-dance-for-the-four-ceremonies-of-the-games-of-paris-2024-and-choreographer-of-the-olympic-games-opening-ceremony-a627-7578a.html|title=Maud Le Pladec, named as Director of Dance for the four ceremonies of the Games of Paris 2024 and choreographer of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony|date=18 June 2024|publisher=Paris 2024|access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>
* Choreographers:
** {{ill|Maud Le Pladec|fr}}<ref name=MLP />
** [[Alexander Ekman]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ekman to direct the staging and choreography of Paris 2024 Paralympic Opening Ceremony |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/ekman-named-stage-and-choreography-director-opening-ceremony |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref>
* Scenography: Bruno Delavenère<ref name="Media Guide" />
* Costume designer: Louis Gabriel<ref name="Media Guide" />
* Lighting creation: Thomas Dechandon<ref name="Media Guide" />

==Welcome to Paris==
[[File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - discord 06.jpg|thumb|right|"Strict Society" dancers perform before a Toyota taxi decorated with toy [[Phryges]] ]]
The ceremony opened with a video featuring {{ill|Théo Curin|fr}}, a French Paralympic swimmer and a member of the Athletes' Commission of the [[Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games]]. Curin was the host of a show called "Théo Le Taxi" on [[France Télévisions]], the official broadcaster of the 2024 Paralympic Games. For the opening ceremony, he arrived in a taxi provided by Toyota, one of the sponsors of the games, and decorated with hundreds of toy [[Phryges]], the Games' ubiquitous mascot.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Paralympic Games opening ceremony: can the Phryges cab take you around Paris? |publisher= Sortiraparis.com |url=https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/news/olympic-games-paris-2024/articles/318906-paralympic-games-opening-ceremony-can-the-phryges-cab-take-you-around-paris |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>

An opening sequence was played on the piano by [[Chilly Gonzales]]. He was joined 140 dancers in suits representing "Strict Society", and 16 more colourfully dressed "Creative Gang" performers with disabilities, including Chelsie Hill, a founder of the Rollettes wheelchair dance team, and Israeli Para dancing champion Tomer Margalit and her dance partner Orel Chalaf. The two groups, initially separate, came together French singer [[Christine and the Queens]] performed [[Edith Piaf]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Non, je ne regrette rien]]}}.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Christine and the Queens Perform at Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony |magazine =Rolling Stone |first=Daniel |last=Kreps |date=29 August 2024 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/christine-and-the-queens-electrifying-performance-at-paris-paralympics-opening-ceremony-1235090820/ |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Margalit continues her love affair with Lomianki |website=www.paralympic.org |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/margalit-continues-her-love-affair-lomianki |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>

==Parade of athletes==
Olympic and Paralympic [[Phryges]] danced and play acted on stage while the 168 delegations of athletes entered the Place de Concorde in French alphabetical order, except for Australia, the United States and France, which brought up the rear in that order as the host nations of the [[2032 Summer Paralympics|2032]], [[2028 Summer Paralympics|2028]] and 2024 Summer Paralympics respectively. As the French contingent entered, [[Yann Tiersen]]'s theme from the film ''[[Amélie]]'' was played and the crowd chanted "{{lang|fr|Allez Les Bleus}}". The "Strict Society" dancers returned to the stage while the one-armed French singer {{ill|Luc Bruyère|fr|lt=Lucky Love}} sang "My Ability".<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="ABC News">{{cite web |title=Paralympics 2024 - Australia's athletes march in the Paris Opening Ceremony in the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, as it happened |first=Andrew |last=McGarry |agency=Reuters |date=29 August 2024 |publisher= ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/paralympics-2024-opening-ceremony-live-blog/104278874 |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lucky Love: 'I'm familiar with rejection. I'm not afraid of it. I'm an artist. I sing.' |newspaper= [[Le Monde]] |first1=Clément |last1=Ghys |first2=Enora |last2=Foricher |date=29 August 2024 |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/m-le-mag/article/2024/08/29/lucky-love-i-m-familiar-with-rejection-i-m-not-afraid-of-it-i-m-an-artist-i-sing_6723148_117.html |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>
<gallery mode=packed widths=220px heights=220px>
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - Australia.jpg|Australian contingent enters with the flag carried by [[Madison de Rozario]] and [[Brenden Hall]]
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony - dancing mascots 26.jpg|Dancing [[The Phryges|Phryges]] mascots
File:2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony 08.jpg|Fly past
</gallery>
A video was shown depicting the origins of the Paralympic movement under Sir [[Ludwig Guttmann]] at the spinal injuries hospital in [[Stoke Mandeville]] in the UK. The [[French flag]] was raised by French Army and Air Force personnel while the French National Anthem, {{lang|fr|[[La Marseillaise]]}} was sung by music director {{Interlanguage link|Victor Le Masne|fr}}. Brief speeches were given by [[Tony Estanguet]], the President of the Games of Paris 2024, and [[Andrew Parsons (sports administrator)|Andrew Parsons]], the President of the [[International Paralympic Committee]]. [[Emmanuel Macron]], the [[President of France]], then officially declared the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Spectacular opening ceremony takes Paralympic values to new heights |website=www.insidethegames.biz |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1148149/spectacular-ceremony-paralympic-values |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>

A video was shown in which blind Canadian [[YouTube]] personality [[Molly Burke]], quadriplegic [[Martin Petit]] and amputee Lucie Retail spoke frankly about their respective disabilities, the way they affect their lives and the way they are perceived and treated by others. This was followed by another dance number with the "Strict Society" and "Creative Gang", featuring one-armed [[hip-hop]] dancer Angelina Bruno, wheelchair dancer [[Piotr Iwanicki]] and Musa Motha, a finalist on ''[[America's Got Talent: Fantasy League]]'' in 2023.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="Games get under way">{{cite news |title=Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony: Games get under way |first1=Katy |last1=Murrells |first2=Nadeem |last2=Badshah |date=29 August 2024 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2024/aug/28/paris-2024-paralympics-opening-ceremony-place-de-la-concorde-champs-elysees-live |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref> The [[Paralympic flag]] was brought on stage by British Paralympic sprinter and astronaut [[John McFall (athlete)|John McFall]] and French sailor [[Damien Seguin]], while visually impaired musician Luan Pommier, played the Paralympic Anthem on the piano.<ref name="Media Guide" /><ref name="Games get under way" /> French athletes [[Sandrine Martinet]] and [[Arnaud Assoumani]] took the Paralympic Oath, along with a coach and an official.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paris 2024 Paralympic Games launched with an unprecedented opening ceremony in the heart of Paris |website=press.paris2024.org |url=https://press.paris2024.org/news/paris-2024-paralympic-games-launched-with-an-unprecedented-opening-ceremony-in-the-heart-of-paris-2812e-7578a.html |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 18:07, 8 December 2024

2024 Summer Paralympics
opening ceremony
Part of 2024 Summer Paralympics
Coloured smoke in the colours of the French flag during the Paralympics opening ceremony at Place de la Concorde.
Date28 August 2024 (2024-08-28)
Time20:00 – 23:00 CEST (UTC+2)
VenuePlace de la Concorde
LocationParis, France
Also known asParadox: From Discord to Concord
Filmed byOlympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)
FootageThe ceremony on the IPC YouTube channel on YouTube

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. It was the first time that a Summer Paralympic Games opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium. Like the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, this event was directed by Alexander Ekman and Thomas Jolly. The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",[1] and featured more than 500 dancers and performers. Unlike the Olympics opening ceremony, which took place mostly under rain, the weather was clear and sunny with a view of sunset during the ceremony.

The Parade of Nations took place on the Champs-Élysées starting at the Rond-point des Champs-Élysées, and ending at Place de la Concorde.[2] The final leg culminated with multiple torch bearers coming together, who then lit the Paralympic cauldron, a ring of 40 computerised LEDs and 200 high-pressure water aerosol spray dispensers which was topped by a 30-metre-tall helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon, rising in the air, reminiscent of the Montgolfier brothers' experiments leading to the first hot air balloon flight in 1783. Performers included French singer Christine and the Queens.

Preparations

[edit]

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics took place on the evening of 28 August 2024 at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. It was the first time that a Paralympic Games opening ceremony had been held outside of a stadium.[3] The venue was already equipped with temporary stands installed a few weeks earlier for the Olympic skateboarding, breakdancing, BMX freestyle and 3X3 basketball events. Seating was provided for 35,000 paying and accredited spectators. Another 30,000 spectators could view the parade to the Place de la Concorde for free from along the Champs-Elysées.[4]

Unlike the Olympic opening ceremony, which took place in cold weather and mostly in the rain, the skies were clear, with a view of a colourful sunset during the ceremony. It was warm, at 30°C, and somewhat humid.[5][6] The stage consisted of two runways flanking the Luxor Obelisk. At the end of each were huge cylindrical video screens. The ceremony involved 500 performers. There were 1,100 accredited media present, and the event was viewed by an estimated television audience of 300 million.[7][8] Security was provided by 15,000 personnel.[9] The ceremony was themed around the human body and "history and its paradoxes",[1] and was titled "Paradox: Form Discord to Concord". Each artistic sequence was built around the theme of working together to create a better and more inclusive society.[8]

Producers

[edit]

Proceedings

[edit]

Welcome to Paris

[edit]

The ceremony opened with a video featuring Théo Curin [fr], a French Paralympic swimmer and a member of the Athletes' Commission of the Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Curin was the host of a show called "Théo Le Taxi" on France Télévisions, the official broadcaster of the 2024 Paralympic Games. For the opening ceremony, he arrived in a taxi provided by Toyota, one of the Games' sponsors, and decorated with hundreds of toy Phryges, the Games' ubiquitous mascot.[8][12]

Official Introduction

[edit]

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, were introduced.

Discord

[edit]

The canadian pianist Chilly Gonzales opened the sequence with a piano performance. He was joined by 140 dancers in suits representing the "Strict Society", whose costumes symbolized rigidity, and 16 performers with disabilities representing the "Creative Gang", whose costumes symbolized freedom. The Creative Gang included Chelsie Hill, a founder of the Rollettes wheelchair dance team, and Israeli Para dancing champion Tomer Margalit and her dance partner Orel Chalaf.

The interactions between both groups on stage was meant as a representation of the paradoxical relationship between persons with disabilities and wider society, with the choreography depicting inappropriate gestures, acts of exclusion, and the objectification of the Creative Gang by the Strict Society.

At the end of the segment, the two groups came together as French singer Christine and the Queens performed Edith Piaf's Non, je ne regrette rien.[8][13][14]

The Parade of Athletes

[edit]

Olympic and Paralympic Phryges danced and play acted on stage while the 168 delegations of athletes entered the Place de Concorde in French alphabetical order, except for Australia, the United States and France, which brought up the rear in that order as the host nations of the 2032, 2028 and 2024 Summer Paralympics respectively. As the French contingent entered, Joe Dassin's "Les Champs-Élysées" as well as Yann Tiersen's theme from the film Amélie were played, and the crowd chanted "Allez Les Bleus".[15][8][9]

My Ability

[edit]

The segment opened with a film depicting various persons with disabilities narrating their journeys to self-acceptance over their disabilities.

Afterwards, the one-armed French singer Lucky Love [fr] sang "My Ability", with the Strict Society joining him.[16] This sequence represented the Strict Society's realization of their internalized prejudices, leading to self reflections and their awakening.[8]

Protocol

[edit]

A video was shown depicting the origins of the Paralympic movement under Sir Ludwig Guttmann at the spinal injuries hospital in Stoke Mandeville in the UK.

French Armed Forces personnel raised the French flag while the French National Anthem, La Marseillaise was performed by music director Victor Le Masne [fr]. Brief speeches were given by Tony Estanguet, the President of the Games of Paris 2024, and Andrew Parsons, the President of the International Paralympic Committee. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, then officially declared the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open.[8][17]

New Ways

[edit]

A video was shown in which blind Canadian YouTube personality Molly Burke, quadriplegic comedian Martin Petit, and the amputee Lucie Retail spoke frankly about their respective disabilities, the way they affect their lives and the way they are perceived and treated by others.

Sportography

[edit]
Sportography choreographed performance

The video was followed by another choreographed performance with the Strict Society and the Creative Gang, featuring one-armed hip-hop dancer Angelina Bruno, wheelchair dancer Piotr Iwanicki and Musa Motha, a finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2023 and America's Got Talent: Fantasy League.[8][18]

The segment depicted both groups coming together, blending dance, sport, and art into a fictional game that highlighted teamwork and adaptive sport, as well as the overcoming of physical differences.[8]

Paralympic Flag, Anthem and Oaths

[edit]
The Paralympic Flag is carried by six individuals
The Paralympic Flag is carried across the stage

The Paralympic flag was brought on stage by British Paralympic sprinter and astronaut John McFall and French sailor Damien Seguin, while visually impaired musician Luan Pommier, played the Paralympic Anthem on the piano.[8][18] French athletes Sandrine Martinet and Arnaud Assoumani took the Paralympic Oath, along with a coach and an official.[19]

Arrival of the Flame

[edit]

The 2024 Summer Paralympics torch relay saw the Paralympic flame lit in Stoke Mandeville on 24 August and carried through the Channel Tunnel by 24 British and 24 French torch bearers. The flame was divided into twelve flames, which were carried through France by 1,000 torch bearers. As the flame entered the arena, it was greeted by 150 dancers and performers carrying torches.[8] To symbolise the connection between the Olympics and Paralympics, the flame was brought into the Place de la Concorde by Florent Manaudou, the flag bearer of the French Olympic team, and handed to Paralympian Michael Jeremiasz, the French Paralympic chef de mission.[19]

Concord

[edit]
150 dancers with torches surround the Paralympic flame during the Concord segment

The flame was then carried in turn by three international Paralympic champions: Italian wheelchair fencer Bebe Vio, American multi paralympic sportperson Oksana Masters and the German long jumper Markus Rehm.

As the flame was handed over between the torchbearers, the 150 dancers carrying torches performed a choreography set to Maurice Ravel's Bolero. This represented the achieving of concord, a contrast to the previous segment Discord which opened the ceremony. The segment culminated with the formation of the Paralympic agitos, and the flame's departure from the Place de la Concorde.[8]

Lighting of the Cauldron

[edit]
The Paralympic cauldron after being lit

The torch was then carried to the Jardin des Tuileries by three French champions: Assia El Hannouni, Christian Lachaud [fr] and Béatrice Hess. French athletes Charles-Antoine Kouakou, Nantenin Keïta, Fabien Lamirault, Alexis Hanquinquant and Élodie Lorandi lit the cauldron.[19][20] The cauldron took the form of a 7-metre diameter ring of fire with 40 computerised LEDs and 200 high-pressure water aerosol spray dispensers which was topped by a 30-metre-tall helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon 22 metres in diameter, that rose in the air, reminiscent of the first flight in a hydrogen balloon by Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers in Paris in 1783.[8][21]

Celebration

[edit]

The ceremony concluded with a laser light and fireworks display. Dancers performed on stage, which was flooded with colour in tribute to British artist Sue Austin, who used a wheelchair to paint, while Christine and the Queens sang Patrick Hernandez's "Born to Be Alive".[8]

Dignitaries

[edit]
Dignitaries including Andrew Parsons, Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, Tony Estanguet and Anne Hidalgo

Dignitaries who attended the ceremony included the following:[22]

Nation Name Title
 Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Elke Büdenbender
President
 Australia Sam Mostyn Governor-General
 Belgium Astrid of Belgium
Lorenz
Prince and Princess
 Canada Mary Simon Governor-General
 France
  • President
  • Wife of the President
  • Prime Minister
  • Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games
  • Mayor of Paris
  • President of Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee
  • President of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee
 Iceland Halla Tómasdóttir President
 Italy Sergio Mattarella President
 Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda President
 Luxembourg Henri
María Teresa
Grand Duke
 Monaco Albert II of Monaco Prince
 United Kingdom Keir Starmer Prime Minister
 United States Tammy Duckworth Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee
 Slovenia Robert Golob Prime Minister
 Czech Republic Petr Pavel President

International organisations

[edit]
Organisation Name Title
IPC Andrew Parsons President
IOC Thomas Bach President

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Daffunchio Picazo, Raúl (22 August 2024). "Paris 2024 Paralympics set to dazzle the world". InsideTheGames.biz. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  2. ^ Yamak, Djaid (22 August 2024). "Paralympic Games: What we know about the opening ceremony". Le Monde. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  3. ^ Kindermans, Marion (20 October 2022). "JO 2024 : les Jeux paralympiques s'offrent la place de la Concorde à Paris pour la cérémonie d'ouverture". Les Echos (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Jeux paralympiques de Paris 2024 : cérémonie d'ouverture place de la Concorde". Le Figaro (in French). 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Paralympic quick hits: The opening ceremony turns red, white and blue, DJ Myd brings the hits, and joy for the Australian team in Paris". ABC News. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  6. ^ "First Paralympics in France open with stunning ceremony". www.paralympic.org. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  7. ^ MacInnes, Paul (29 August 2024). "Paris Paralympics make powerful start in journey from discord to concord". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Paradox: From Discord to Concord - Opening Ceremony of the Paris Paralympic Games - Media Guide". Paris 2024. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b McGarry, Andrew (29 August 2024). "Paralympics 2024 - Australia's athletes march in the Paris Opening Ceremony in the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, as it happened". ABC News. Reuters. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Maud Le Pladec, named as Director of Dance for the four ceremonies of the Games of Paris 2024 and choreographer of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony". Paris 2024. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Ekman to direct the staging and choreography of Paris 2024 Paralympic Opening Ceremony". www.paralympic.org. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Paralympic Games opening ceremony: can the Phryges cab take you around Paris?". Sortiraparis.com. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  13. ^ Kreps, Daniel (29 August 2024). "Christine and the Queens Perform at Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Margalit continues her love affair with Lomianki". www.paralympic.org. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  15. ^ Lena, Smirnova (28 August 2024). "Vibrant Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony calls for "inclusion revolution" through sport under lights of historical French square". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee.
  16. ^ Ghys, Clément; Foricher, Enora (29 August 2024). "Lucky Love: 'I'm familiar with rejection. I'm not afraid of it. I'm an artist. I sing.'". Le Monde. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Spectacular opening ceremony takes Paralympic values to new heights". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b Murrells, Katy; Badshah, Nadeem (29 August 2024). "Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony: Games get under way". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  19. ^ a b c "Paris 2024 Paralympic Games launched with an unprecedented opening ceremony in the heart of Paris". press.paris2024.org. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Paralympics opening ceremony: Paris showcases riveting outdoor ceremony in historic first". CNN. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  21. ^ Vasavda, Mihir (28 July 2024). "40 LED lights, a cloud of water-vapour for illumination, 200 high-pressure misting nozzles: How flying cauldron of Paris Olympics is lit up". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Qui sont les chefs d'État reçus par Emmanuel Macron avant la cérémonie des Jeux paralympiques?". Ouest-France (in French). 28 August 2024.

Media related to 2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony at Wikimedia Commons