As with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which will take place on the Seine, the Paralympic Games will open in the heart of Paris. The Paris 2024 organizing committee unveiled the details of the opening ceremony of these Paralympic Games on Thursday. It will take place at Place de la Concorde, after a parade on the lower part of the Champs-Elysées.
“The objective is to offer a magical moment of celebration, to put the athletes in a majestic setting on one of the most beautiful places”explains Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee. “We wanted to offer a breathtaking celebration, after what happened in Tokyo in an empty stadium, we wanted to promote the athletes in the most beautiful way”.
The athletes will parade from the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde where four stages will be set up, where two weeks earlier the urban sports events of the Olympic Games will be held. In the stands, 35,000 spectators (paying) will be able to attend this show while 30,000 people will be able to follow the parade free of charge along the Champs-Elysées.
The closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games will take place at the Stade de France as for the Olympic Games.