The 2024 Paris Olympic Games officially kicked off on Friday in a spectacular and historic ceremony held on the River Seine, with thousands of athletes traveling down this 777-kilometre-long river in a floating parade.
A 3.5-mile armada of 94 boats sailed down Seine River, carrying around 10,500 Olympians, including 60 Moroccans. The parade began at the Austerlitz Bridge in the Jardin des Plantes and traveled east to west along the Seine River. It wound its way around two islands in the heart of the city, passing under various bridges and gateways.
Athletes on the boats will get a sight of various Olympic locations, such as La Concorde Urban Park, Invalides, and the Grand Palais. The parade will end at the Iena Bridge, which connects the Eiffel Tower on the left bank of the Seine with the Trocadéro neighborhood on the right bank.
The event will conclude at the Trocadéro. Among other ceremonial formalities, French President Emmanuel Macron will make introductory comments.
Around 120 heads of State, royals and other leaders are attending the opening ceremony, including Morocco’s head of Government Aziz Akhannouch who represents King Mohammed VI at the event.
Organizers stated the Opening Ceremony is the largest in history.
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the Olympic Games, has invited a number of female performers, including French vocalists, Juliette Armanet to be present during the ceremony, accompanied by pianist Sofiane Pamart. Both are slated to play a classic John Lennon song, ‘Imagine,’ which is an anthem for ultimate peace. Aya Nakamura will also perform, followed by the Garde Républicaine, on the Pont des Arts. The musician will play “La Bohème” and “For Me Formidable” by Charles Aznavour, both timeless classics with profound roots in French musical heritage.
On July 25, it was announced that Celine Dion, who had taken time off to deal with stiff-person syndrome, would join Lady Gaga for a duet of Édith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose”.
The elaborate ceremony officially kicked off a two-week worldwide tournament involving dozens of sports, hundreds of countries, and thousands of athletes, though some Games began earlier.
Artistic gymnastics events will take place from July 27 to August 1, followed by another round from August 3-5. Rhythmic gymnastics, a female-only sport, is set for August 8-10.
Football play began two days before the opening ceremony, on July 24, when Morocco defeated Argentina 2-1 in the first game. Like most preliminary rounds in archery, handball, and rugby.
Swimming events will take place during the first week of the Games, from July 27 to August 4, while track and field activities will take place between July 1 and August 11.
The marathon is generally the final sports event.
Morocco is preparing to substantially contribute to the summer games, with a team of 60 athletes representing 19 disciplines. This year’s delegation, consisting of 42 men and 18 women, represents the country’s second-largest contingent in history, following the 72 athletes who participated in the 2012 London Olympics. The line up includes some high-profile athletes with extensive international competition experience
This Olympic Games edition will include the largest security operation in French history, with 45,000 police officers and gendarmes on duty at the Opening Ceremony and 35,000 working every day following the games.
Despite security measures, France’s high-speed rail network was attacked with extensive and “criminal” destruction on Friday, including arson assaults, disrupting travel to Paris from throughout France and Europe.
The same day, the Franco-Swiss Basel-Mulhouse Airport was evacuated and temporarily closed on Friday morning following a bomb alert.