PARIS: On Wednesday 28th August, Paris will host its first-ever Paralympic Games that will kick off with a spectacular opening ceremony in the heart of French capital.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place from 28th August to 8th September, featuring as many as 4,400 athletes from around the world. They will compete in 22 sports across various iconic venues in Paris, including at the Eiffel Tower, the Chateau de Versailles and the Grand Palais.

At 20:00 local time, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées will play host to Paralympic athletes from 186 delegations as they celebrate the commencement of 11 days of competition, starting 29th August.

The Torch relay will reach Paris on 28th August after traveling through 50 cities after departing from Stoke Mandeville, the historic birthplace of Paralympic sport in England.

The participating UAE delegation comprises 14 male and female athletes who will compete in five sports: shooting, athletics, weight lifting, cycling and judo.

The UAE flag wil
l be raised in the parade of the participating delegations by the duo Ahmed Al Badawawi, member of the cycling team, and Maryam Al Zayoudi, a standout athlete from the UAE’s national Paralympic track and field team.

The ceremony will take place outside the confines of a stadium, with athletes parading down the famous avenue, culminating in a celebration and official opening of the Paralympic Games at the iconic square in front of thousands of spectators.

“This ceremony at the heart of the city is a strong symbol illustrating our ambition to capitalise on our country hosting its first-ever Paralympic Games to position the issue of inclusion for people with disabilities at the heart of our society,” said Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 President.

Source: Emirates News Agency