Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: some details from the closing ceremony

The Paris Paralympics concluded on Sunday with a glittering closing ceremony. French singer Santa opened the event by performing Johnny Hallyday’s iconic song “Vivre pour le Meilleur,” accompanied by video highlights from the past three Games. Paralympic GamesDue to weather conditions, the cauldron flight was cancelled. French President Emmanuel Macron and IPC President Andrew Parsons were present in the official stands at the Stade de France.

With the country’s national anthem, La Marseillaise, playing in the background, the French flag was raised. The audience also participated by singing.

All countries then took part in the Parade of Nations to the sound of the Republican Guard band. The musicians played a selection of French and international pop music, giving the parade a festive and joyful atmosphere.

Indian contingent at the Paris Paralympics

Harvinder Singh and Preeti Pal were India’s flag bearers at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The Indian contingent concluded their historic Paralympic campaign in Paris with a total of 29 medals, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze, the most for the country in the history of the competition.With this historic campaign, India has surpassed its previous most successful campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which gave them 19 medals, including five gold, eight silver and six bronze.

Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, took to the stage after the parade to applause from the crowd and addressed those present. Parsons also gave a speech on the success of the event.

The Paris 2024 volunteers were then honoured with a heartfelt tribute. More than 2,000 volunteers took centre stage in the stadium, greeted by thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd. Next, eight dancers, some of them disabled, celebrated diversity with their performances to the tune of DJ Cut Killer.

The award ceremony for the upcoming Paralympic Games continued with the playing of the American national anthem and the raising of the American flag. American singer and actress Ali Stroker performed the anthem. Broadway violinist and composer Gaelynn Lea, along with rapper, songwriter and athlete Garnet Silver-Hall, presented poetry related to themes of dreams, disability and community.

Additionally, multiple Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer Anderson .Paak delivered a captivating performance.

In the Tuileries Garden, gathered around the cauldron, Amadou and Mariam, accompanied by a string quartet, performed a composition by Serge Gainsbourg inspired by the French poet Paul Verlaine, entitled ‘Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais’.

Aurellie Aubert, French Paralympic Boccia champion, blew out the flame and in the sky above the Tuileries Garden, the Cauldron also went out, marking the end of the games.

At the Stade de France, 24 electronic music artists from the French electronic scene, together with the ‘Father of Electronic Music in France’, Jean-Michel Jarre, celebrated the diversity of their music with a fun performance.

Artists who performed included Breakbot & Irfane, Nathalie Duchene, Alan Braxe, DJ Falcon, Kavinsky, Kiddy Smile, Kittin, Anetha, Ofenbach, The Avener, etc.