The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris was an immense challenge. For the first time, it was held outside a sports venue, within the city itself.
The concept had been derided as overly ambitious and the location criticized as a prime security risk. But after years of preparation, France on Saturday could breathe a sigh of relief—it had pulled off the Olympic opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Games.
Opting for a ceremony on the waters of the River Seine rather than the standard option of a stadium was a theatrical gesture typical of President Emmanuel Macron. But the gesture brought considerable risks with it.
Blue, white, and red fireworks had raised the tricolore above the Austerlitz Bridge before 6,800 athletes from 205 delegations traveled on eighty-five boats and barges past some of the French capital's most famous landmarks.
The last two boats to parade—first the United States as the next hosts for Los Angeles 2028 and then France—had the largest numbers of athletes on board, while other barges carried several delegations together.
There were surprise performances throughout the ceremony, including a cabaret number from U.S. singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, as well as an emotional return of Canadian icon Celine Dion.
France has grand hopes for these Olympics, despite its recent contentious legislative elections and uncertainty about the government’s future. The country views sports as a vehicle for economic and social good.
But the greatest challenge was the artistic content. Some will focus on the grand spectacle, featuring the world's biggest stars, eclectic and perfectly choreographed.
An opening ceremony is primarily meant to highlight the host country's culture, a part of its history, its national foundation, its foundational heritage—its DNA. And in this regard, it was uniquely successful in the annals of the games.
The choice of the site was crucial as it allowed for a unique journey through French history. The organizers decided to add a touch: the values of France. The respect for history was methodical. The French Revolution, despite its excesses, and before that, the monarchy and Christianity, were presented.
A great nation does not deny its past, it fully embraces it. And France is a great nation.
This allowed for the highlighting of Molière’s culture, the Paris of the 1930s, and through it all, France's values of inclusion, which have enabled France to transcend societal changes without ever denying its foundation—the eternal values of France, the ones we love.
Ahmed Charai is the Publisher of Jerusalem Strategic Tribune and serves on the boards of directors of the Atlantic Council, the International Crisis Group, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and the Center for the National Interest.
Image: noriox / Shutterstock.com
