On September 25th, 2024, the sky was grey and periodically threatened rain. My good friend made his way to my rental condo in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. He wanted to be there to say “goodbye.” I was flying back to Canada, somewhat reluctantly. My reluctance was due wholly to the variety of friends I made, mixed with my love for the language and the multitudes of cultures surrounding me daily.
During my previous trip in April, I decided that the next time I came back, I would explore living in Paris instead of just visiting it. So, I booked a one-way ticket for August 25th, 2024. Interestingly, I hadn’t realized that I would be present for the Paralympic Games. What timing!!
An Unlikely Event
The parade and opening ceremony were set to take place a few days after I landed. I decided to make my way down to central Paris for a chance to witness some of the revelry. To my surprise, they were allowing all visitors and citizens free access to the parade along the boulevard from the Champ Elysees to the Place de la Concorde, where the opening ceremony entertainment would take place. Of course, free access would only be available on big screens. Meanwhile paying customers had seats in the stands for direct access.
The day was perfect; sunny and warm, unlike the previous Opening Olympic ceremonies on July 26th, 2024. Drizzle, sprinkles then full-on, nonstop rain drenched those ceremonies. However, this didn’t dampen the celebratory mood of all the participants. I recall watching this ceremony on TV and thinking how exceptionally creative and original it was.
Making a Difference
Many aspects of this Paralympic ceremony struck me as unique much like the previous Olympic Ceremony in July. These ceremonies involved unique choreography and music from various artists.
For instance, one of my favorite performances was L’émouvante by Lucky Love. The dance troupe consisted of diverse physically challenged individuals such as people in wheelchairs, amputees, etc. The main singer, Luc Bruyère stage name “Lucky Love”, a former cabaret singer, dancer, drag artist, and musician, is also an amputee. The performance lasted almost 5 minutes, and it was another exquisite production like the performances witnessed in the previous month.
For me, the ceremonies truly echoed the atmosphere I fell in love with on my first trip to Paris. One which supports the day-to-day practice of inclusivity, diversity, tolerance, and respect for all. By the end of the evening, I felt warm and fulfilled for having been part of the experience.
Final Words
The Paris Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies showed a world of possibilities in how we can perceive sport, art, culture, diversity, inclusivity, respect, and a love of life. This is why they are in the category of “Changemaker” for us in 2024.
In the next installment, we will feature another artist, Richard Poher. He is a French Jazz musician who uses two diverse and distinct instruments: the piano and the digeridoo. With his upcoming debut album, we will talk about his career and instrumental choices. You will discover why he is a changemaker in his field.