Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony set to surprise audience

The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be an event like no other as, for the first time, it will not be held in a stadium but will take place on the iconic Seine River in Paris, with boat parades and much more, all open to the public.

Organizers have kept details of the ceremony tightly under wraps, adding an element of anticipation to the event.

To keep the suspense, the performers are rehearsing in different places around France and will not have a full rehearsal before the official opening on July 26.

"We don't know anything and I've seen a lot of interviews lately and people always ask ‘Can you give us just a little hint, just a little something?’ And they keep saying ‘No, I can't say anything’. So I can't wait," said Laffailla Pauline, an Olympics volunteer.

The parade will start at the Pont D' Austerlitz and run for six kilometers to the Eiffel Tower for the grand finale.

Around 94 boats and over 10,000 athletes will sail down the Seine, according to Olympic.com.

The flotilla will be divided into national delegations, and will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close.

"We are holding a positive attitude towards a public opening ceremony. There is a first time for everything. I think, even if the ceremony has some flaws, it does not matter because it will be the first time something like this has ever been done. If it is a success, similar concepts can be explored in future events. If there are any flaws, improvements can be made later on," said Tang Xinhe, a Chinese tourist.

While the event promises excitement and a grand spectacle, tightened security and safety measures along the Seine have drawn criticism from some local residents.

"You can see all the streets now that are partially blocked. So now you need to justify yourself in a way like ‘I live here’. If you don't have that, then you can’t enter your home. So, that's great for the city, for the economic state of the city, but I think there are some problems that need to be fixed," said Gaspard, a resident.

The opening ceremony will reportedly last for almost four hours with an estimated 3,000 performers joined by thousands of spectators for the celebrations.

Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony set to surprise audience

The former president of the European Central Bank (ECB) Jean-Claude Trichet provided insights into the ECB's recent monetary policy and the ongoing economic challenges during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the three-day Bund Summit which opened in Shanghai on Thursday.

Trichet praised the ECB's decisive actions in addressing the surge in inflation in the Eurozone that dropped from over 9 percent two years ago to 2.2 percent this August.

"First of all, I think really that the ECB did its own work and job quite well, obviously, because we had a surge of inflation in Europe and as well as in the world, at least in the U.S. and in many, many countries, which was very dramatic. The central banks and the ECB in particular did not practice benign neglect. They took seriously the problem, and after perhaps a small number of months of hesitation, they decided to cope with the situation and they increased rates 10 times, successively 10 times, which of course they had never done before. By the way, at the same time, the U.S. Fed was increasing interest rates 11 times. So in both cases, I would say the central banks have been very responsible," he said.

Despite the reduction in headline inflation, Trichet acknowledged the persistence of core inflation which dropped slightly from 2.9 percent in July to 2.8 percent in August. Looking ahead, he anticipated that the ECB might continue to adjust interest rates cautiously, aligning with market expectations.

"I would say at the present moment, when I look at the situation of the European, they are, as well as other central banks, on their way to have a soft landing. I expect them to continue to diminish rates, probably next time this month, we will see. I don't want to substitute to the governing council. They will take a good decision, I'm sure, but it's largely anticipated by markets," Trichet said.

Former ECB chief provides insights into EU monetary policy