The Paris Paralympics commences with a vibrant and lively opening event.
The celebration commenced with the melodies of pianist Chilly Gonzales, featuring a multi-piano performance, dance, and fireworks at the obelisk on the Place de la Concorde. Not long after, the procession commenced.
Scores of dancing and ecstatic volunteers lined the entryways of the delegations from the attending nations. Athletes waved and waved their flags enthusiastically in the air - some donning traditional and vivid ensembles. The Austrian athletes walked in, dressed in Alpine attire, while the Indonesian team emerged with elaborate headdresses.
As 71-year-old onlooker France Simon, who had made a trip from the department of Eure-et-Loir alongside her husband Marc, put it, "It's one-of-a-kind, we won't have the opportunity to witness something like this again at our age." She had been unable to secure tickets for the Olympic Games, "so I truly desired to attend the Paralympic Games," she added, donning a hat in the hues of the French flag. "They're the first in Paris, that's another reason I decided to come."
Previously, organizers had pledged to showcase the same ambition during the opening of the Paralympic Games as they did for the Olympic Games nearly five weeks earlier. Those had been marked by a grand celebration on the Seine that captivated the world.
A grand total of approximately 4,400 athletes are participating in the Olympic Games for individuals with disabilities. Germany is sending 143 athletes, who will compete in Paris in 18 sports for medals. At the opening ceremony, the German team was led by Para-canoeist Edina Müller and Para-triathlete Martin Schulz. The duo had the privilege of carrying the German flag down the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde.
German Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) expressed her optimism at the opening that host France would demonstrate "how crucial Paralympic Games are for an inclusive society and the spotlight on the issues faced by individuals with disabilities." The German top athletes contribute to making "the Paralympic Games a major event" and are "an inspiration for many, regardless of whether they have a disability or not."
People excitedly discussed the upcoming events of the Olympic Games, eagerly anticipating the intense competitions. Subsequently, the torch was lit during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, symbolizing the beginning of this globally celebrated event.
