Elena Kratter and Marcel Hug carry the Swiss flag onto the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
The opening ceremony took place in a spectacular setting on the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
Dancers perform with the singer Lucky Love
Image: Keystone
French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Paralympic Games open
Image: Keystone
French Air Force planes fly over the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
The dancers provided spectacular images
Image: Keystone
The Paralympic Flame was brought to the Jardin des Tuileries via several stations
Image: Keystone
Elena Kratter and Marcel Hug carry the Swiss flag onto the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
The opening ceremony took place in a spectacular setting on the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
Dancers perform with the singer Lucky Love
Image: Keystone
French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Paralympic Games open
Image: Keystone
French Air Force planes fly over the Place de la Concorde
Image: Keystone
The dancers provided spectacular images
Image: Keystone
The Paralympic Flame was brought to the Jardin des Tuileries via several stations
Image: Keystone
The 17th Paralympic Games are officially opened after a spectacular parade from the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde.
28.08.2024, 23:54
29.08.2024, 06:47
SDA
At 9.43 p.m., the Swiss delegation arrives from the Champs-Elysées and enters the temporary arena on the Place de la Concorde. Led by the two track and field athletes Elena Kratter and Marcel Hug, who were given the honor of carrying the Swiss flag for the first time in Paris, Switzerland was the 144th of 168 nations to officially enter the Paralympic stage almost two hours after the start of the festivities.
A total of ten athletes and 19 staff members from the Swiss delegation took part in the opening ceremony, while others missed out due to upcoming competitions.
The symbolism of the choreographer
After the boat show on the Seine, which officially opened the Olympic Games at the end of July, the organizers also chose a spectacular setting outside a stadium for the Paralympic counterpart for the first time, which was charged with strong symbolism thanks to chief choreographer Alexander Ekman. It is no coincidence that the Place de la Concorde is the setting for a show with the motto "Paradoxe: De la Discorde à la Concorde".
The paradox of a society that claims to be inclusive but, as choreographer Ekman puts it, "is full of prejudices against people with disabilities." In the course of five dance performances by two groups, the "Strict Society" and the "Creative Gang", which consists of 16 dancers with disabilities, the aim is to bring them closer together, to make people without disabilities aware of their prejudices against people with disabilities and to change their perspective on the social phenomenon of disability, which affects 15 percent of the world's population. In turn, people with disabilities should become aware of their abilities and their value to society, so that there is no longer "disunity" (discorde), but rather society and all its population groups live in "harmony" (concorde).
The president's revolution
Andrew Parsons, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, spoke of a "revolution of inclusion" that is to be driven forward with the help of these Paralympic Summer Games, in keeping with the pathos of the "Marseillaise".
At 10.37 p.m., French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Paralympic Games open. Less than an hour later, the Paralympic flame was lit again in the Jardin des Tuileries and the balloon, which had already attracted thousands of people every evening during the Olympic Games, was released.
Until the closing ceremony on September 8 at the Stade de France, 549 sets of medals will be awarded among the approximately 4,400 athletes over the next ten days. Swiss Paralympic and the 27-strong team have set themselves the target of 14 medals.
