Paris rekindles the flame with the "revolution" of the Paralympic Games

A month after the start of the Paris Olympics, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games offered a spectacle focused on the inclusion of all bodies and promised a "revolution" that will transform the world.

This time under the bright Parisian sun, the Paralympic event, France's first ever, kicked off promptly at 6 pm GMT with a three-hour show devised by French theater director, Thomas Jolly.

"Welcome to the country of love.... and of revolution," declared the president of the Paris-2024 Organizing Committee, Tony Estanguet, after nightfall on Place de la Concorde, where a central stage around the famous Luxor Obelisk hosted the show "Paradoxe" (Paradox).

"Tonight begins the Paralympic revolution"

Some 4,400 athletes from 168 delegations paraded down the Champs-Élysées, considered among the French as "the most beautiful avenue in the world," to the square where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads during the Revolution.

As they passed by, the nearly 50,000 spectators applauded and chanted the names of the countries and parade-goers entertained the crowd.

"Tonight begins the Paralympic revolution," assured Estanguet, an idea shared by the president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Brazilian Andrew Parsons, who celebrated during his speech "the most transformative sporting event in the world."

Following the words of Estanguet and Parsons, French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Paris Paralympic Games "open."

"A utopia"

To meet this goal, Thomas Jolly, who directed the acclaimed but also controversial opening of the Olympic Games, assured that the 'show' that would grant value to "all bodies."

The "Phryge," the official mascot of Paris-2024, was the protagonist of the beginning moments of the ceremony, which began with a video of the French para-swimmer Théo Curin, riding in a car covered with stuffed animals of the friendly character.

Upon the vehicle's arrival in the square, 140 costumed dancers and 16 disabled performers dressed in shades of blue, red and white gave an energetic performance to symbolize a society that is trying to become more inclusive, but still has a ways to go.

After the athletes' parade, the stage at Place de la Concorde continued to host various performances, such as the moving rendition of the song "My Ability" by French artist Lucky Love, who was born without a left arm.

With each new performance, the two groups of dancers, previously separated and distinguished by their attire, blended together to form a single artistic body.

While the audience enjoyed the show, the flame continued its journey, which began on Saturday in the town of Stoke Mandeville, in the United Kingdom, historic cradle of the Paralympic Games.

At around 9:15 pm GMT, the Paralympic torch arrived from the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde.

There, dozens of people holding other flames performed a dance to the tune of "Boléro" by French composer Maurice Ravel and formed the agitos, the symbol of the Paralympic Games, before the torch departed for its final destination. After traveling through the Tuileries Garden, the flame reached the cauldron, the iconic hot air balloon of the Olympic Games.

Five French para-athletes, including para athletics champion Nantenin Keita and reigning para-triathlon champion Alexis Hanquinquant, flag bearers for their delegation, then proceeded to light the cauldron.

At the Concorde, Christine and the Queens returned to the stage to mark a grand finale to the sound of "Born to Be Alive" and fireworks that lit up the Paris sky, with the sparkling Eiffel Tower in the background. The ceremony thus gives way to Thursday's start of the events, which will last until September 8.

Unlike the Olympics, during which many Parisians fled the capital leaving the transport network empty, the Paralympics will take place in the middle of back-to-school week.

"There are many people who left Paris during the Olympics and regretted it. Now they are back and some are taking the opportunity to buy tickets for the Paralympics," Florence, 41, told AFP on Wednesday around the Place de la Concorde.

Tony Estanguet reported that some two million tickets for the various competitions have already been sold.