Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony Live Streaming: Details, timings and all you need to know

Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony

Paris is set to host its inaugural Paralympic Games, commencing with a grand Opening Ceremony in the heart of France's capital. Scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST) on August 28, the ceremony will be held at iconic locations such as Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, marking the start of 11 days of intense competition. In a departure from traditional ceremonies that typically take place inside a stadium, the Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony will be held outdoors, showcasing some of the city's most renowned landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde, and the Trocadéro.

The event will kick off with a grand parade along the iconic Champs-Élysées, featuring up to 184 delegations from around the world. This celebratory occasion, open to the public, will include 6,000 athletes and officials. Following this, ticket holders will have the chance to witness the official parade at Place de la Concorde, which will also incorporate artistic segments.

"While the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony will be a first of its kind, its monumental and popular concept is, for me, first and foremost a magnificent source of inspiration. From the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde, I look forward to creating a spectacle that will transform the heart of Paris, featuring performances that have never been seen before. This will be a showcase of Paralympic athletes and the values they embody, uniting spectators and television audiences around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games," said Thomas Jolly, Artistic Director for the 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies, as quoted by Olympics.com.

Place de la Concorde, an iconic Parisian square situated between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries Gardens, is a short distance from the Assemblée Nationale and the Grand Palais. As the largest square in Paris, it links several historic buildings and monuments that reflect France's rich heritage. Established during the Enlightenment, Place de la Concorde symbolises the philosophical, literary, and cultural legacy of that period, resonating with the values of the Paralympic movement. Both Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, renowned as the world’s most beautiful avenue, will be transformed into a stunning stage to celebrate and highlight the Paralympic movement in a spectacular setting.

Jolly has enlisted Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman to transform the Paralympic ceremony. Ekman’s performance will centre around dance, featuring over 150 dancers, including those with disabilities. He plans to blend choreographed dance with newly composed music by Victor Le Masne. Ekman is renowned for his 2016 production of Swan Lake in Oslo, where he created a stage lake using 6,000 litres of water.

Reports indicate that legendary Chinese martial artist and actor Jackie Chan will carry the torch just hours before the opening ceremony begins. The flame was lit on Saturday, August 24, in Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. It arrived in France on Sunday, having travelled through the Channel Tunnel, with wheelchair fencing medallist Emmanuelle Assmann among those carrying it.

Other Details of the Opening Ceremony

Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony start time: The opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics 2024 will begin at 11:30 PM IST (8 PM local time) on Wednesday, August 28.

Indian flag-bearers at the Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony: Sumit Antil and Bhagyashree Yadav have been chosen as the flag-bearers for India at the Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony.

Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony live streaming: The opening ceremony will be available for live streaming on the Jio Cinema app and website in India.