.1 A CELEBRATION OPEN TO EVERYONE On 8 August 2021, Paris officially became the next host city for the Olympic Games. To mark the event, Paris 2024 brought the City of Light to hundreds of millions of TV viewers, to the sound of a reworked version of the Marseillaise. Viewers were treated to a thrilling BMX race across the rooftops of Paris; and a gigantic Paris 2024 flag was flown from the Eiffel Tower, as planes streaked the colours of the French flag across the sky. In the Trocadéro gardens, French medallists returning from Tokyo celebrated the Games’ arrival in France, with over 5.000 at the Livestream. Paris 2024 is breaking the mould: for the first time ever, the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games will be held in the very heart of the city, aboard a flotilla of boats carrying participants down the Seine. The world’s greatest celebration of sport, in the world’s finest city! AN OPEN-HEARTED AND POPULAR CELEBRATION Never before will so many people have shared in the experience of an Opening Ceremony: at least 600,000 spectators will be watching from the quays and bridges along the Seine. Around half will be admitted free of charge! PARIS’ ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE AS AN UNEQUALLED BACKDROP The Seine, its bridges and the monuments of the capital will serve as the backdrop to a breathtaking spectacle, in which artistic performances blend harmoniously with sporting performances. THE TOKYO HANDOVER CEREMONY A HISTORIC CEREMONY IN THE HEART OF THE CITY 1 A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR SPECTATORS AND ATHLETES ALIKE With an uninterrupted view along the Seine, a sound system and 80 enormous screens installed along the route, spectators will not miss a moment of the spectacle, and can drink in the unique atmosphere permeating every corner of the city. The athletes will be at the heart of the ceremony as never before: they will kick proceedings off, and contribute to the ceremony from beginning to end, as they pass down the Seine. They will have a superb view of the capital, and will get a glimpse of the exceptional venues in which they are to perform. A CEREMONY DEVISED THROUGH CLOSE COLLABORATION The Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has come about through shared ambition and close collaboration between the State, the Paris municipal authorities, the Île-de-France regional authorities, the IOC and the CNOSF. Throughout 2021, Paris 2024 has been working closely with the public authorities to validate all aspects of the plans: operational, technical, financial, judicial and regulatory. This work will continue in 2022. The artistic direction for the ceremony will also be chosen in 2022. Teddy Rinner Three-Time olympic champion judoka "Experiencing an Olympic Ceremony, while representing France, is always intensely emotional. But to experience it here, in France, at the heart of Paris and in direct contact with spectators who have come from all over France and all over the world, will indubitably be unforgettable. This Opening Ceremony will break the mould. Even now, I cannot wait to be there!" © B a p t i s t e P a q u o t / K M S P © Paris 2024/pawel.gaul/Florian Hulleu © Paris 2024 / Florian Hulleu © Paris 2024 / Florian Hulleu PARIS 2024 OPEN GAMES PARIS 2024 OPEN GAMES PARIS 2024 PARIS 2024 8 9 6KM ROUTE ALONG THE SEINE 160 BOATS 600.000 SPECTATORS A SOME AT LEAST 10 TIMES MORE PEOPLE THAN THE STADE DE FRANCE COULD ACCOMMODATE ©BOBY