Paralympic Games 2024: Opening ceremony takes place
Images | instagram/kazparalympics
The opening ceremony of the XVII Paralympic Summer Games was held in the French capital, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports. More than 4,000 athletes will compete in 22 sports over the next 11 days.
Just like the Olympic ceremony, the Paralympic ceremony took place not in a stadium but in the streets.
The event began on Place de la Concorde with a performance by renowned pianist Chilly Gonzalez, accompanied by 140 dancers and performers. When the countdown ended, the sky was lit up with a colourful fireworks display in blue, white and red - the symbols of France.
Particular attention was drawn to the appearance of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games participant, French swimmer Théo Curin, who arrived at the venue by taxi, and French artist Christine and the Queens, who performed a new version of Édith Piaf's iconig song "Non, je ne regrette rien".
The ceremony continued with a ceremonial parade of 168 delegations, which paraded from the bottom of the Champs-Élysées. The delegation from Afghanistan was the first to march.
The Kazakhstani flag was carried by the winner of the Asian Paralympic Games, ten-time winner of the Kazakhstan Championship Berik Izmaganbetov (sitting volleyball). Another flag bearer was the winner of the Kazakhstan Championship Sevda Aliyeva (shooting para sport).
After the ceremonial parade of the delegations the French flag was raised to the sound of the French National Anthem, "The Marseillaise", reinterpreted by Victor le Masne, composer and musical director of the Paris 2024 ceremonies, and performed by Ensemble Matheus.
President of the Organising Committee for Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet and President of the International Paralympic Committee Andrew Parsons delivered their welcoming speech.
Then, from the official stand, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, declared the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open.
At the opening of the Paris Paralympic Games, the theatre production "Sportography" by director Thomas Jolly attracted particular attention.
This segment of the show combined elements of dance, sports and art, offering viewers a unique performance where two groups of participants, representing people with and without disabilities, work together to create a new, inclusive competition. They overcome differences, emphasizing the importance of unity and equality.
The ceremonial raising of the Paralympic flag was accompanied by the performance of the Paralympic Anthem, which is called "The Anthem of the Future". The flag was carried onto the stage by John McFall, a silver medallist in para athletics at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and the first astronaut with a disability to join the European Space Agency.
The scene of the arrival of the Paralympic flame in Paris began with a video showing key moments from the torch relay, which began on 24 August in Stoke Mandeville. After its journey across France, the Paralympic flame made its ceremonial entrance into the Place de la Concorde, marking the start of the Games.
A unique feature of the Paralympic Movement is that several Paralympic Flames can shine simultaneously. The Flame was divided into 12 Flames, to reflect the number of days of the Paralympic Games.
Markus Rehm, a German Para athlete, Former Wheelchair tennis player Michael Jeremiasz, Florent Manaudou, French flagbearer at the Paris 2024 Olympics, American paralympic athlete Oksana Masters and many others took part in carrying Olympic Torch.
Para athletes Charles-Antoine Kouakou, Fabien Lamirault and Elodie Lorandi with Alexis Hanquinquant and Nantenin Keïta took the torch at the end of the opening ceremony to light the cauldron.
Christine and the Queens concluded the ceremony with a performance of legendary Patrick Hernandez song, "Born to be Alive".
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