“Since Wednesday evening, the flame has been flying above Paris again. Except that this time, the flame is not Olympic, but Paralympic,” writes the German daily The Time. In the sun, this time, and once again outside the walls, through a Paris where the party is not over: the international press generally welcomed, on Thursday morning, the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, “less ambitious than the opening of the Olympic Games on the Seine”, according to the brazilian daily São Paulo Newspaperbut “no less grandiose.”
THE Berliner Zeitung also found the ceremony “much more modest than that of the Olympic Games” but for the better: “the organizers created touching things with much more elegance and less kitsch.”
Paris has “adorned itself with its finest assets”
For the belgian newspaper The eveningParis “dressed itself up in its finest attire to celebrate the Paralympic revolution” and this ceremony will remain “in the memories of the good memories”. It must be said that “no image of soaked artists came to spoil the party”, rejoices the british newspaper The Guardianwho particularly appreciated the performance of South African para dancer Musa Motha during the “sportography” scene.
While the Times British noticed a “very French soundtrack”, from Johnny Hallyday to Joe Dassin via Charles Aznavour (remixed by the musician and producer Myd), that of Los Angeleshost city of the 2028 edition, noted that “dancers and musicians with and without disabilities performed fluidly, projecting a theme of inclusion and overcoming physical differences.”
“We witnessed a succession of rhythmic, inclusive, cheerful and colorful shows,” he continues, enthusiastically. The evening“moments of suspended grace, which take hold of the heart and the body”.
Long but a strong message on “the difficulties of inclusion”
The Catalan daily El Periódico is less enthusiastic and regrets a “slow first part that lacked rhythm”, without the “presence of great international artists”. The newspaper deplores the length of the ceremony during which “excessive emotional scenes” “killed the festive atmosphere”.
“We had almost forgotten how long the compulsory entry of nations can be,” he also acknowledges. The Timeeven “in a bright twilight.” But “on the other hand, when have we ever seen so many people with prostheses and wheelchairs strolling down the Champs-Élysées?” wonders the German daily, recalling that “Paris is generally not a city where people with disabilities can easily get around” and that the organizers want to “set milestones” by offering a ceremony on “the diversity of human bodies and the difficulties of inclusion.”
“The paradox was at the heart” of this “ceremony with festive militancy” also abounds The Time Swiss, “that of a society which wants to be inclusive but remains full of prejudices towards people with disabilities.”
Towards a real societal change and a common ceremony?
“Will the Paralympic Games be a driver of societal change? Will they be able to deliver exciting sporting events that can rival London 2012? Will they do both?” the Times. We will see it in the eleven days of the Games to come. But the Berliner Zeitunghe nevertheless considers it “sad that a separation is necessary and that the Paralympic Games are not taking place at the same time as the Olympic Games”. “The competitions between disabled and non-disabled people could take place one after the other or in parallel, without being mixed, of course. A joint opening ceremony would be an example of lived inclusion. Perhaps this is what awaits us in the future”, he hopes.