Paralympics 2024 Declared Open With Mesmerising Opening Ceremony In Paris

The 2024 Paralympics were opened in Paris on Thursday (IST) by French President Emmanuel Macron, firing the starting gun on 11 days of competition in a city still riding the wave of the successful Olympics. Macron declared the Games open during an exuberant and colourful opening ceremony in a balmy Place de la Concorde in central Paris -- the first time a Paralympic opening ceremony has taken place away from the main stadium.

The 4,400 athletes from 168 delegations paraded into the arena as the sun set with host nation France entering last to a standing ovation and chanting from 30,000 spectators packed into the stands around the square.

The fine weather was in sharp contrast to the heavy rain which fell throughout the Olympics opening ceremony on July 26.

In one of the highlights, French singer Lucky Love, who is missing his left arm below the elbow, performed a moving rendition of his song "My Ability" surrounded by both able-bodied and disabled dancers.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons then told the athletes and spectators he hoped for an "inclusion revolution", before Macron officially declared the Games open.

The ceremony will culminate with the lighting of the cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens, which has become a huge attraction since its debut at the Olympics.

A total of 18 of the 35 Olympic venues will be used for the Paralympics, which run until September 8, including the ornate Grand Palais and the Stade de France.

Ticket sales have picked up since the Olympics and organisers say more than two million of the 2.5 million available have been sold, with several venues sold out.

Theatre director Thomas Jolly, who also oversaw the Olympics opening ceremony, said there was a clear