A CELEBRATION OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY

Thomas Jolly, the Artistic Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, is ready to transform the heart of Paris into a spectacular stage for the Games.

The Open­ing Cer­e­mo­ny will break tra­di­tion by being held out­side a sta­di­um for the first time. Set along the Seine, this unique loca­tion will blend the team parade with artis­tic moments, reflect­ing Paris 2024’s com­mit­ment to inclu­siv­i­ty and open­ness. Jol­ly aims to show­case France’s diver­si­ty and its rich cul­tur­al his­to­ry while cre­at­ing a snap­shot of the world on 26 July 2024.

Jol­ly faces numer­ous chal­lenges, from man­ag­ing the river’s cur­rents and pro­tect­ing the her­itage to work­ing with nat­ur­al light and ensur­ing the event stays with­in bud­get. Despite these hur­dles, he is deter­mined to cre­ate a mem­o­rable cel­e­bra­tion that hon­ors the return of the Olympic Games to Paris after a cen­tu­ry.

“Cre­at­ing a show is about match­ing dreams and real­i­ty,” Jol­ly said, encap­su­lat­ing his vision and pas­sion for the his­toric event.