NEW DELHI: The Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony on Friday, 26th July, is set to make history by being the first Olympic ceremony held on a river instead of a stadium. The Seine will serve as the stage for this ground breaking event, with approximately 10,000 athletes traveling along a 6km route on 100 boats.
The procession will commence at the Austerlitz bridge and pass by famous Parisian landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Pont des Arts, Pont Neuf, and conclude near the iconic Eiffel Tower.
Organisers have promised that the entire route will be adorned with dance, music, and performances on every riverside and bridge.
While the line up of performing artists is mostly under wraps, there are rumours that Franco-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura will perform a song by the late Charles Aznavour, and international superstars Lady Gaga and Celine Dion are also speculated to be part of the event.
The Parade of Nations, a tradition that began at the London Olympics in 1908, will be a focal point of the opening ceremony. Athletes from around the world will experience this parade in a unique setting on the River Seine, with over 80 heads of state and government in attendance and more than 3,00,000 spectators expected to watch from the riverbanks.
Paris 2024 Olympics Parade of NationsAs is customary, Greece will lead the Parade of Nations, acknowledging its historical importance as the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games and the host of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
The refugee Olympic Team will follow Greece.
The remaining countries will parade in alphabetical order according to the French language, with the United States of America (USA), the host for the 2028 edition, coming second-last, and Australia, the host for the 2032 edition, coming third-last.
As the host nation, France will conclude the parade. India, with table tennis star Achanta Sharath Kamal and ace shuttler PV Sindhu as flagbearers, will be the 84th nation to participate in the Parade of Nations.
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