The Paris Paralympics opening ceremony has officially kicked off in the heart of the French capital, marking the beginning of 11 days of intense competition.
Similar to the Olympics opening ceremony held on the Seine in July, this event took place outside of the main stadium for the first time in Paralympic history.
Under clear skies, unlike the rainy Olympic opening on July 26, the games commenced on Wednesday evening at Place de la Concorde with French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance.
As the sporting events begin on Thursday, a mix of new Paralympians and seasoned veterans will compete in many of the same venues used during the Olympics.
Out of the 35 Olympic venues, 18 will be utilized for the Paralympics, which will continue until September 8. The Grand Palais, known for its successful hosting of fencing and taekwondo events under an elegant roof, is one of the venues.
Swimming events will take place at La Defense Arena, while track and field competitions will be held on the purple track at Stade de France.
Following slower ticket sales post-Olympics, over 2 million tickets out of 2.5 million available have been sold, with some venues already sold out.
Organizers have made accommodations for wheelchair users to access Paris buses and have arranged 1,000 specially adapted taxis.
Furthermore, the Paralympics serve a broader purpose beyond sports. International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons hopes that the Paris games will bring attention back to the challenges faced by disabled individuals on a global scale.
Parsons believes that the games will have a significant impact on how people with disabilities are viewed worldwide and aims to address the lack of debate on disability-related issues.
