According to Unapei, an association that represents people with intellectual disabilities and their families, the shortage of support means many children spend six hours a week or less in school.

The week before French schools reopen on 2 September, the organisation warned in a statement of serious disparities in access to education across France.

In the Eure department of Normandy, for instance, some 27 percent of children supported by Unapei’s local branch receive six hours or less of schooling, while the figure is as high as 40 percent in Hérault in southern France, and 50 percent in the centre-west department of Sarthe. 

“The new school year is about to start and there are many children, thousands of children, who have problems going to school or who aren’t in school at all,” Sonia Ahehehinnou, Unapei’s vice president, told RFI.

The consequences can last a lifetime, she warned: “Going to school a little bit is not the same as going to school. If you don’t fully enter into learning, if you’re not in the right place, you can’t develop and you can’t build your future.”

Inclusive ideals meet reality

The French system operates on the principle that pupils with disabilities should be integrated where possible into regular classes rather than educated separately – though, as Ahehehinnou explains, that’s a challenge.

“On the one hand you have inclusion, which favours school attendance, socialising, access to equal education and participation in society,” she said.

“However, some children have very specific needs, which require adaption and much more personalised support from different professionals and in different domains. And this expertise isn’t always available within the school itself.”

She points to a lack of training and resources for staff in mainstream schools, as well as a shortage of places in specialised institutions – “for which pupils might be waiting anywhere between one and 10 years”.

Podcast: Educating the disabled, a challenge in France

‘True nightmare’

One of the main barriers, according to Unapei, is a lack of trained learning support assistants for students with special educational needs, known in France by the acronym AESH. 

Among nearly a thousand testimonies gathered by the association, some parents recounted that they still didn’t know by August whether their child would be assigned an assistant for the return to school in September.

Others described waiting years for a place in specialised facilities, or struggling to get more than a couple of hours a week in dedicated units within mainstream schools.

Having waited for a place in a designated facility for three years and with no specialised units available, the parents of one 12-year-old boy in Nantes reported that he was about to enter a regular class for his age group – despite having the reading and writing level of a six year old.

“He has learning difficulties and a class of 30 pupils where you switch teachers and classroom every period would be a true nightmare for a child who needs routine,” they wrote on Unapei’s online platform for sharing personal experiences, Ma Rentrée (“My return to school”).

Reforms promised

Some 470,000 children with disabilities were in education in France at the start of the last school year, according to the Education Ministry, two-thirds of them with learning support – though it does not specify how many hours a week such pupils spend in school.

The government promised in May to launch several new initiatives during the coming school year, including multifunctional “school support centres” where children can access specialised teaching and equipment as well as speech therapy, physiotherapy, psychological support and other services.

The government also pledged to improve training for educators and assign AESH assistants to support children during lunch breaks. 

However, with a caretaker administration in charge after France’s inconclusive parliamentary elections, those reforms are now in doubt.

“We were already worried about various measures that had been in the pipeline for years, and now we’re very concerned, and angry too,” commented Unapei’s Ahehehinnou.

“Under a caretaker government projects risk being put on standby, important projects that were supposed to be implemented from the start of the school year, and other projects will be cancelled. We don’t know who to turn to, or how things are going to go for children who are already in difficulty or for those who are just starting school now.” 

Repeated failings

Activists have slammed France for years over its record on disability issues, ranging from education to transport to health care. 

Last year the Council of Europe, the EU’s human rights watchdog, condemned France for failing to respect fundamental disability rights set out in the European Social Charter, after Unapei and three other associations brought a joint complaint.

Council of Europe rules France violated charter on disabled people’s rights

Since then, there have been high-profile promises but no concrete improvements, the associations say.

Ahehehinnou hopes the Paris Paralympics might finally help focus more attention on the issue.

“Education isn’t a competition, it’s a challenge the state has to meet,” she told RFI. “And they have to do it today, urgently.”

Wenjuan Huang, 19, and Yucheng Jin, 16, fought off the German veterans Juliane Wolf and Stephanie Grebe to claim the prize in the WD14 category.

They won 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8 in 31 minutes at the South Paris Arena.

“It feels so good,” Huang told the International Table Tennis Federation website.

“I never imagined I could get a gold medal. This was a very good start for the whole Chinese team.”

Of her burgeoning rapport with Jin, she added: “We practise very hard and we are good friends, too. We will be even better friends after winning this gold medal together.”

Huang competed at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo where she won silver in the singles and gold in the team event.

Jin, who was playing at her first Paralympic Games, started competing internationally last year.

“Jin played very well,” said Grebe magnanimously. “The match was very close but they were just a little bit better at the end,” added the 36-year-old who took silver and bronze in the S6 singles at the Rio and Tokyo Paralympics respectively.

“We had our chances,” Wolf said. “And that’s why I’m a little disappointed.”

The 36-year-old added: “If you have a chance to win a Paralympic final, of course you want to do this.”

Triumph

Shortly after Huang and Jin’s triumph, Jing Liu and Juan Xue upset the top seeds Su Yeon Seo and Jiyu Yoon from South Korea.

The Chinese duo won 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 to claim the WD5 gold and burnish their respective legends.

Both players have won every event they have entered in their Paralympic careers.

Liu, 36 secured the first of her nine golds at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. Xue had collected four in Rio and Tokyo.

The victories helped to push the Chinese overall medal tally to 25, including 12 golds.

Britain lie second in the table with six golds among their harvest of 15. Hosts France slipped from third at the end of the first day to seventh.

French Paralympic chiefs have targeted eighth place at the end of competitions on 8 Setpember. 

Elsewhere on the second day of action, the United States – which dominated the medals table at the Olympic Games – won its first gold at the Paralympics.

The success came at Paris La Défense Arena where Gia Pergolini defended her crown in the women’s 100m backstroke S13.

Pergolini, 20, finished in one minute, 04.93 seconds. Roisin Ni Riain from Ireland claimed the silver and the Italian Carlotta Gilli collected the bronze.

The Paralympics, which got underway on Wednesday, are counting on the incredible energy generated during the two weeks of the Olympics, which drew enthusiastic crowds both inside the venues and in the public fan zones around the capital.

One of the largest areas open to the public is at the Hôtel de Ville, or town hall, in the heart of the city.

The building’s ornate stone façade are festooned with banners in the Paris 2024 palette of pale pink, green, beige and shades of blue, while the flagstones of the plaza out front have been covered with bright blue mats, sports equipment and shaded seating areas to welcome around 2,500 people at a time.

Léo, a young instructor who works for the local parasports committee in the greater Paris region, runs workshops in wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball.

He’s happy to see parasports edging further and further into the limelight, thanks in part to the excitement around the Paris Games.

“I have a twin brother who is disabled so I have always been in contact with parasports. It is very rewarding and nice to see young people with disabilities enjoying sports,” he told RFI.

Requests for workshops to raise awareness in schools and communities have noticeably increased, he says.

Who are the French athletes competing in the Paris Paralympic Games?

A chance to explore

Nearby, teams of kids in red and green jerseys and eye masks are getting instructions on how to play blind football. Some of them are tourists visiting from Slovenia and Germany.

The workshops are run by members of Femix’Sport, an association which promotes diversity and women’s representation in sports federations.

Thiphaine Meriot, the group’s development and communications manager, says that the workshops at the city hall fan zone are an ideal opportunity for people from different social groups to mix – regardless of age and background, and whether or not they have a disability.

She says that people are surprised and curious to learn the rules of blind football, in which visually impaired players seek to score goals guided by a ball with a bell inside.

Only the goalkeeper is allowed to have full sight, while assistants near the goalposts can help give vocal instructions to the other players.

“I thought that blind football was quite well known, but in fact it’s not,” Meriot says. “We can tell that people are not familiar with it, so they discover it here.

“The more we have these kinds of workshops, the more we can help people discover new and challenging sports.”

Accessibility gaps

Not only are the Paralympics a chance to highlight the talents of remarkable athletes, organisers are also hoping to address issues of discrimination, inclusiveness and accessibility in wider society.

Alain, a volunteer at the Games, spends his days scooting around the fan zone in his electric wheelchair, showing visitors around.

Although he is proud to see Paris hosting such a high-profile event, he admits that a lot needs to be done to improve accessibility, especially when it comes to public transport.

“Only the automatised metro line 14 is fully accessible at all stations,” he says, adding that the tram network is in better shape because it was built more recently, while public buses now have special ramps.

But the suburban RER train network is unfortunately lagging behind, he says, as only a few of the stations have been upgraded. These lines serve several Paralympic sites outside the city, such as the equestrian arena at the Château de Versailles.

“Of course we can call on someone [from the station] to help us, but that means that we are not independent. I find that unacceptable in 2024. We should be independent like everyone else,” Alain says.

Paris metro accessibility a ‘weak spot’ ahead of Paralympics

Shifting priorities

A total of 18 of the 35 Olympic venues will be reused during the Paralympics, albeit with minor modifications to better suit parasports.

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons told French news agency AFP earlier this year he hopes the Paris edition will help make the issues facing people with disabilities a higher global priority.

Parsons said he believes the Games “will have a big impact in how people with disability are perceived around the world”.

He argued that disability had fallen behind sexual and gender identity in recent years.

“We do believe people with disability have been left behind,” he said. “There is very little debate about persons with disability.”

Splash stance

The schedule was revamped for the para triathlon after forecasts showed inclement weather. All 11 medal events will be held on Day 4 instead of Day 4 and 5. “The decision was taken to provide athletes and coaches with as much certainty as possible,” said the organisers. This type of stuff revives memories over the many splendoured changes during the Olympics. Essentially heavy rains cause sewage to flow into the river which leads to a rise in bacteria levels and very unaesthetic objects in the river.

Wave of success 

Raoua Tlili from Tunisia won her seventh Paralympic title by claiming the F41 shot put category. It was her country’s first medal at the Paralympics. Tlili, 34, who competes in the petite category, was a strong favorite for gold – she has held the world record since the Tokyo Games in 2021. Her second throw of 10.40m secured the crown ahead of Kubaro Khakimova from Uzbekistan. Antonella Ruiz Diaz won the bronze medal with a season’s best throw of 9.58m.

New same old

Doubles has been off the agenda in para table tennis for a few decades. But the Paris 2024 organisers have put it back in. And lo and behold, the first two golds in the doubles since the 1976 Paralympic Games in Toronto went to … China. 

Fight for top spot

The Chinese and the Americans battled for supremacy at the top of the medals table during the Olympic Games. Athletes from both countries won 40 but the US eventually claimed the bragging rights because they had more silver and bronze. It doesn’t look like it will be anything like the same breathless struggle during the Paralympic Games. China have racked up 25 medals in two days and 12 of them shine gold. The US got its first gold on Day 2. Still a few more days to go.

Really?

Word reached the review about a poll that reported 88 percent of people questioned believed that the Paralympics opening ceremony was good. Operatives were charged with going out among the great unwashed to glean the views. The vast majority – that’s 87 percent – of the 1,189 souls quizzed thought it was a whizzer idea to launch the para sports fest along the Champs Elysées and Place de la Concorde. We’ve been watching the Paralympics action and haven’t had enough time to dive into the survey to find out how many people thought it was ace to charge between 150 and 700 euros to go and watch the show.

The environment ministry said it will cull 83 elephants, 300 zebras, 100 eland antelope, 100 blue wildebeest, 60 buffalo, 50 impala and 30 hippos from parks and communal areas where animal numbers have exceeded available grazing land and water supplies.

The ministry said the severe drought throughout southern Africa has strained human-animal relationships, necessitating this intervention to avoid conflict.

“This exercise in necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens,” the ministry said.

The culled animals will provide meat for vulnerable people trouble feeding themselves due to the drought. Professional hunters and companies contracted by the government have already hunted 157 animals, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.

Namibia declared a state of emergency in May over the drought and exhausted 84 percent of its food reserves last month, the United Nations said. Nearly half of Namibia’s population is expected to face high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

Namibia is part of a conservation area spanning five countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Angola, home to more than 200,000 elephants. Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year due to the drought.

The animals to be culled will come from Namib Naukluft Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park and Nkasa Rupara National Park.

“Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to resuming and strengthening collaboration, with a view to ensuring regional stability and security,” said a Nigerian military statement on Thursday, a day after the nations’ defence chiefs signed a memorandum of understanding in Niger’s capital, Niamey.

Ties between the two countries soured after Niger‘s junta toppled Mohamed Bazoum in a military coup in July 2023.

The coup also fractured the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), casting doubt on the region’s ability to combat Islamist violence effectively.

Ecowas threatened to invade Niger if diplomatic efforts to restore its democratic government failed.

Nigeria’s army chief, General Christopher Musa, stated he was prepared to intervene if Ecowas requested and was “sure of victory”.

The threat of intervention prompted Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali to pull out of the 15-country bloc in January.

Claiming Ecowas had failed to assist them in addressing Islamist violence, the three Sahel nations subsequently signed a military pact, forming a parallel body known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

Despite the tensions, Niger has remained part of a Nigeria-led multinational joint task force (MNJTF) combating Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, though it has limited its participation.

Under the agreement signed on Wednesday, Niger “reaffirmed its readiness to reume active participation in security cooperation under the Multinational Joint Task Force”, said the Nigerian statement.

The leaders of Nigeria and Niger’s armed forces are expected to meet again soon in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

(with newswires)

Artisanal gold mining is booming in Kédougou, a region in southeast Senegal where the Falémé river flows.

Over the past 20 years, miners from 19 African countries have flocked there in search of fortune.

Unfortunately, the mercury, lead and cyanide used in the gold extraction process have polluted the river, upon which thousands rely for farming and livestock.

Scientific studies have detected toxic substances in wells, water tables, agricultural products and even in the bodies of livestock and humans.

“This worrying situation calls for strong measures on the part of the national authorities to find a fair solution to the incessant complaints from people living along the river” said Senegal’s Ministry of Mines in a report last week.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko issued a decree suspending all mining activities on Senegalese territory up to 500 metres from the river’s left bank until 30 June 2027. The issuance of new mining permits has also been suspended.

A matter of national security

The Falémé river flows from the highlands of Guinea, along a significant portion of Senegal‘s border with Mali, and into the Senegal river.

It was once home to diverse species of fish and mammals but is now in urgent need of restoration said a 2024 report in the Journal of Water Resource and Protection.

A study by the Senegalese NGO Wassaton found that the number of illegal mining sites along both the Senegalese and Malian sides of the Falémé had risen from 600 to 800 in 2021.

Wassaton’s president, Adama Ndiaye, said that Chinese companies and traditional gold panners have set up these sites on both banks of the river.

“They’re in pick ups and L200 vehicles, using excavators and they don’t live in the area,” he told the Senegalese Press Agency.

PM Sonko said suspending all gold-panning activities to combat pollution was a “matter of national security”. But he acknowledged it was a difficult issue “because the solution does not depend on Senegal alone”.

“We share the river with our neighbour [Mali],” Sonko said. “And that’s why, during our recent trip to Mali, we raised the issue with the authorities. There is gold panning on the other side too, using the same products, notably mercury.”

In 2014, Senegal designated a zone where artisanal gold mining was authorised in an effort to regulate the activity. The army has dismantled at least three illegal gold-panning sites since April this year.

The government says it’s relying on the armed forces to enforce the temporary ban.

However, Senegalese authorities are unsure who the illegal gold panners are or where they are operating said Oudy Diallo, head of the non-profit Kédougou Alerte Environnement.

This makes it difficult to conduct a proper census “because we have no control over the comings and goings of gold miners from the sub-region” he told RFI.

Gold mining in Ivory Coast: Locals fear water contamination in eastern regions

‘Protectors of the Falémé’

Environmental activist Diallo says the suspension has been welcomed by people living along the Falémé, who are ready to assist the authorities in enforcing the decree.

“We need the population, the village chiefs, to get involved,” he said. “We are all protectors of the Falémé.”

He acknowledged that locals cannot arrest the gold panners themselves but suggested they could contact local authorities to ensure security forces intervene and remind miners they no longer have the right to mine gold.

Diallo is also calling for an independent audit of mining permits, which he claims were granted “without ever being subject to an environmental impact study.”

Most of the gold extracted is sold in Mali, where prices are higher – one gram of gold in Senegal can fetch 31,000 CFA (51 USD) while in Mali it can exceed 40,000 CFA (67 USD).

The effectiveness of the ban will also depend on whether Malian authorities can implement similar measures on their side of the river – a difficult task given Mali’s military-led government since the 2020 coup and ongoing struggles with jihadist violence.

(with newswires)

With Friday’s deadline approaching for European Union members to offer nominees for von der Leyen’s 26-person team, 16 of the 21 names known so far are men.

After her re-election in July, the European Commission president had asked states specifically to give her a choice of one male and one female candidate.

Not a single country has done so. As it stands, as few as six women may hold posts in the next EU executive, including von der Leyen herself and the nominee for foreign policy chief, Estonia’s outgoing prime minister Kaja Kallas.

The European Women’s Lobby, an umbrella group working toward gender equality in the bloc, said the situation was indicative of an “old boys’ club” mindset, calling it “beyond embarrassing”.

“If member states truly believe only men are fit for these roles or that there are no qualified women in their countries, they’re not just out of touch – they’re delusional,” the group’s spokesperson Mirta Baselovic told French news agency AFP.

Equality ambitions

Lina Galvez, chair of the European Parliament’s committee on gender equality, said the numbers suggested a clear lack of “political will” from member states that sent a “very bad signal, especially to younger women and girls”.

At the root of the situation is a power play between von der Leyen and European capitals that may well back goals like gender parity on paper, but in practice resist having their hands tied in any way.

• EU adopts laws to ensure more women are appointed to company boards

Von der Leyen made gender equality a priority of her first term, and between them she, Kallas and European Parliament president Roberta Metsola clinched an unprecedented three of four top EU jobs following the bloc’s latest parliamentary elections.

But short of a radical shake-up, her ambition for a gender-balanced commission – which steers EU policy on issues of trade to climate and migration – already looks dead in the water.

Standoff looms

Von der Leyen now faces a choice, according to EU law professor Alberto Alemanno: accept the list and put the nominations to parliamentary hearings planned for September and October, or send states back to the drawing board.

Members of the European Parliament won’t pull any punches, Alemanno told AFP: “There’s a risk that instead of voting down four or five commissioners, they might vote against half of them.”

If von der Leyen instead puts her foot down, “she avoids finding herself in a position of weakness,” he said. “And it’s a chance to assert her independence.”

The commission president has the authority to make a stand, according to Alemanno. “The question is more a political one – whether she will choose to exercise that prerogative.”

Alternatively, von der Leyen could turn down some of the male candidates presented to her one by one, using the promise of choice portfolios as leverage with individual member states.

‘Bare minimum’

The European Women’s Lobby said it was counting on the commission chief to “stand firm”, calling it her “prerogative and responsibility to ensure that the EU leadership reflects the diversity of its population”.

“This isn’t a radical ask – it’s the bare minimum,” spokesperson Baselovic said. 

• Gender gap at work far wider than expected, UN says

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the European Commission insisted that Von der Leyen “stands by her conviction that in the modern world, we need to have as many women as possible in positions of responsibility”. 

“She is doing everything in her power in order to ensure that we have a well-balanced college with people who are competent for the role of commissioner, and a college that will include as many women as possible,” chief spokesman Eric Mamer told reporters earlier this week.

(with AFP)

Serbian Presdient Aleksandar Vucic announced the deal for 12 multi-purpose warplanes during a joint news conference in Belgrade with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting in an attempt to strengthen Serbia’s ties with the European Union.

Macron called the deal “historic and important” and said it demonstrated Serbia’s “strategic courage” and “European spirit.”

The agreement, signed by Serbia’s Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier, also includes a complete auxiliary logistics package, spare engines and parts.

“A dozen of brand new aircraft will be owned by Serbia … this will contribute to a significant increase in the operational capabilities of our army,” Vucic said.

“We are happy to become a part of the Rafale club.”

Shift away from Russia

The acquisition suggests a shift in Serbia’s security and political stance, moving away from Russia – its traditional ally and weapons supplier.

Macron said Europe needs a strong and democratic Serbia, while Belgrade needs a “strong and sovereign EU“.

“Choice of Rafale jets by Serbia is in this context a clear choice of long-term alliance between our two countries,” Macron said.

Vucic also sought to assure that Serbia will not share Rafales technology with Moscow.

“We are not Russian spies to transfer technology, we paid for this with Serbian citizens’ money,” Vucic said.

Belgrade curtailed military cooperation with Moscow after Russia invaded Ukraine. It has condemned the invasion, but unlike the EU, which it wants to join, it has not imposed sanctions on Moscow.

To become a member of the EU, Serbia would have to improve democracy, the rule of law and judiciary, root out corruption, red tape and organised crime and mend ties with Kosovo which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

It must also align its foreign policies with those of Brussels, including imposing sanctions against Russia.

EU, Serbia sign deal to kickstart lithium battery development

(with newswires)

The 22-year-old Frenchman secured his first Paralympic gold in four minutes, 12.55 seconds. Simone Barlaam from Italy took the silver and the Australian Brenden Hall won the bronze.

“I’m happy that the hard work has paid off,” said Didier who was born with clubbed feet.

“It’s my time to win,” he added. “I followed the race plan and it worked really well.”

His victory on the first day of competition was greeted with a raucous din from the 15,000 partisans packed into the arena. 

“The noise from the supporters was fantastic,” he added. “I really appreciated it. And it is something I will never forget. Normally at events we don’t have such crowds making noise like that. It was incredible.”

Participation

During the Paris Paralympics, Didier will also compete in the 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley for swimmers who have slight problems coordinating their arms and legs or who have a missing limb.

A few hours before his triumph, Marie Patouillet won France’s first medal of the Games when she claimed siiver in the  C4-5 500m time trial at the Vélodrome National in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines

Caroline Groot from the Netherlands won the course for athletes with an artificial limb or limited movement in their arms or legs in 35.566 seconds. Kate O’Brien of Canada claimed bronze.

Elsewhere during the first day of action, Zakia Khudadadi from Afghanistan won the refugee team’s first medal at a Paralympics when her opponent, Naoual Laarif of Morocco, withdrew ahead of their contest for the taekwondo bronze medal in the K44 under 47kg event.

At the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, Khudadadi became the first Afghan woman to compete in an international sporting event since the Taliban retook control of the country following the withdrawal of troops from Nato and the United States.

Challenge

Khudaddi, 25, who has lived in France since fleeing the Taliban administration, says she is representing Afghan women who have been stripped of their rights under the government.

“My life has been a journey filled with ups and downs,” she said just before the competition started at the Grand Palais.

“I faced death threats and even contemplated suicide. What set me apart was my disability. When I looked in the mirror, I knew I was missing a hand. But I pictured in my head having an iron hand instead that made me impossible to stop.

“In that way, my disability has given me extra strength. It is a great honour because I am representing millions of refugees who have disabilities in these Games.”

The four-day conference aims to address the obstacles hindering the adoption of nuclear energy on the continent.

While South Africa remains the only African nation with nuclear power plants, Kenya and Rwanda are eager to follow.

This summit is the second major convention on the issue, following a similar event in Accra, Ghana, in October-November 2023. That event was organised by the US Department of Energy in collaboration with the Nuclear Power Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.

Feasibility in question

Experts are questioning the feasibility of building nuclear power plants in Africa.

“There is a lot of talk about nuclear programmes in Africa, but these ideas are closer to fantasy than industrial reality,” said Mycle Schneider, project coordinator at the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR).

The first major obstacle, he told RFI, is the size of grids.

The International Atomic Energy Agency states that an average large nuclear reactor is around 1,000 megawatts (MW) or one gigawatt (GW). However, only four African countries have a grid larger than 10,000MW or 10GW – Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Nigeria. Most other African nations have much smaller grids.

“Kenya’s grid is about 3.3GW, so the largest unit should be around 300MW, which is much less than a large nuclear reactor,” Schneider said.

“In Rwanda, the total national grid is 300MW. So we’re in a situation where an ordinary nuclear power plant would absolutely not have the grid size needed in most African countries.”

Schneider argues that African countries need decentralised energy production systems, a mix of renewable energy and power systems that can be built quickly, unlike nuclear power plants.

“The wonderful opportunity on a continent like Africa is that in many places everything has to be done from the beginning,” he said.

“The fact that there are no grids or very small grids can be an opportunity to implement advanced, highly flexible grids designed for the future, with decentralised production of solar, wind or other energies, and biomass.”

A US agenda

The US has sent top nuclear energy officials to the summit to offer Africans insights on nuclear technology. The US is also keen to strengthen its ties with Kenya through this summit and to support other African economies.

“By emphasising international cooperation, sharing innovative solutions and shaping policies, the summit aims to drive positive change and serve as a platform to strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones to enhance cooperation in the nuclear energy sector,” the Atlantic Council, a major participant, said in a statement.

Kenya is promoting the construction of a 1,000MW plant starting in 2027, which is expected to cost around 500 billion Kenyan shillings (about €3.5 billion).

The country hopes to raise investments during the summit to be able to complete it by 2032.

• Kenya to build first nuclear power plant by 2034 amid local opposition

But for Schneider, nuclear energy is expensive, and demands time and highly skilled workers that very few countries have.

Therefore is also no economic, industrial or practical drivers to make the nuclear option viable in Africa.

“Russia and China are dominating the nuclear power sector and so it seems like this stems from US geopolitical interest to counter their role on the continent more than anything else,” he said. 

Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Russia in 2016, but no progress has been made since then.

“The key term is feasibility – this debate is curious because building costly plants like nuclear reactors is challenging anywhere in the world, even in France, and in Africa, it’s simply not feasible,” Schneider said.

He also pointed out that investing in nuclear power exacerbates climate change.

“It’s not fast enough. Choosing a more expensive and slower option is misguided. The 2030s won’t even see a new plant in South Africa. If substantial resources are spent on technology that isn’t viable, how can Africa achieve energy efficiency?”

Despite these concerns, summit participants argue that nuclear power remains crucial for reaching net zero by 2050.

The athletes’ village was designed with accessibility in mind, according to organisers, and has undergone further modifications since its Olympic tenants moved out earlier this month.

Located in the northern suburbs of Paris and set to host up to 4,400 Paralympians, the complex is crisscrossed by accessible roads, pavements and ramps. 

It also includes less obvious accessibility features, such as electrical outlets installed at a comfortable height for wheelchair users.

While some were built in from the start, others have been added in the transition from Olympic to Paralympic village. Organisers had roughly a week to cover up uneven floors with mats, fit grab bars and seats in showers, install specialised training equipment in the gym, and space out chairs and tables in the canteen to make more room for wheelchairs.

Also proving popular is a fleet of motorised devices that connect to the front of wheelchairs, giving users a power boost.

Ludivine Munos, a former Paralympic swimmer who now is now in charge of inclusion efforts for Paris 2024, called the village a “paradise” for para-athletes.

She remembers limited facilities during her own time competing, with only certain areas adapted for people with disabilities. 

“That’s not the case here. They can go everywhere that they want,” she told the Associated Press.

Equipped to compete

One of the most significant additions to the village is a specialised centre for maintaining and adjusting para-athletes’ equipment. 

Staffed by more than 160 experts from German company Ottobock, the workshop is responsible for repairing prosthetics, wheelchairs and other essential items that may have been damaged on the journey to Paris, as well as fine-tuning them for competition.

In some cases athletes may even get an upgrade, explained the centre’s technical director Bertrand Azori, who described opening up devices to find them patched together with DIY repairs or out-of-date parts.

“There were plumbing pipes, plastic tubing, being used as tubes in prosthetics,” he told RFI. “With 180 or so different delegations, there are sometimes some surprises.”

As well as a stock of some 15,000 spare parts, the workshop is also equipped with a 3D printer that enables technicians to make pieces to athletes’ exact specifications.

“They’re very competent in their domains, you can tell. They give everyone careful attention,” said French para-archer Damien Letulle, who stopped by to get the tyres checked on his wheelchair. 

“We can’t have technical hitches hindering us and messing with our heads. So you have to do everything you can to make sure there aren’t any problems and your mind is free to do your best in your discipline.”

Who are the French athletes competing in the Paris Paralympic Games?

Athletes with disabilities underserved

The extensive facilities at the Paris Games remain an exception in France, where last year just 1.4 percent of the country’s 160,000 sports clubs said they were adapted to people with disabilities.

According to the French Paralympic and Sporting Committee, people with disabilities have to travel 50 kilometres on average to practice the sport of their choice. 

Via a programme dubbed Club Inclusif, the committee is aiming to support 3,000 sports clubs to become inclusive by the end of the 2024-25 season – a challenge that involves training coaches, procuring specialised equipment and the space to store it, and allocating time for para-athletes to practice.

“We’ve passed the 1,000 inclusive clubs mark and we’re aiming for 1,500 for the Paralympic Games,” said Sylvain Sabatier, who heads the programme for the Paralympic committee.

He told news broadcaster FranceInfo: “We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a lot to do.”

Paralympians head to Paris to set sporting standards and show need for change

Born in Leningrad – now St Petersburg – in 1984, Durov’s early life was marked by a move for his father’s work to Italy, where he and his older brother Nikolai excelled academically.

While Nikolai became a mathematical prodigy, Pavel thrived in languages, topping his class after just two years in Turin.

After the family moved back to the Soviet Union in 1990, the brothers lived through the fall of the USSR and the chaotic years that followed under Boris Yeltsin.

They also started experimenting with coding and the internet. “As we had taken IBM computers from Italy we were some of the rare people who were introduced to this technology,” Durov revealed in a recent interview.

He then went on to create the social network VKontakte, or VK, which would become known as “Russia’s Facebook” – and eventually in 2013, Telegram.

Durov sold his stake in VKontakte after pressure from Russian authorities in 2014. They accused the network of being used by opposition figures and playing a role in the Maidan uprising in Ukraine, which resulted in the deposition of the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Durov then left Russia and moved the Telegram headquarters to Dubai, which he called “the best place for a neutral platform like ours to be in if we want to make sure we can defend our users’ privacy and freedom of speech” in an April interview with conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson.

‘Invited by Macron’

According to the Wall Street Journal, Durov came to France in 2018 under circumstances that were completely different from his detention this week: invited by French President Emmanuel Macron himself, Durov found himself pressed to move the Telegram HQ to Paris.

At a lunch with the French leader, “Macron invited the Russian-born Durov to move Telegram to Paris, people familiar with the discussions said”, according to the newspaper.

The Journal says Durov declined the offer, but a French official quoted by the paper said he asked Macron for citizenship – which he later obtained, although he hardly spoke any French at the time and had never lived there.

He was eventually naturalised in August 2021 and officially “Frenchified” his name to Paul du Rove one year later, based on a rule that grants citizenship to “a French-speaking foreigner who, through their outstanding actions, contributes to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations”.

Apart from his Russian and French passports, Durov also holds nationality of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates, and speaks multiple languages, among them Italian and Ukranian.

Du Rove’s Channel

Until his detention in Paris, Durov was active on “Du Rove’s Channel” on Telegram, where he has over 11 million followers. He typically used it to update his readers about technical developments and new features of the app – now in its 11th year – boasting, in February, that “broadcast channels on Telegram generate 1 trillion views monthly”.

Before his detention, he posted pictures about his trips to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan over the summer, and speculated that he may have “over 100 biological kids” after regularly donating sperm to a clinic that serves 12 different countries.

But he also addressed issues of moderation and censorship.

In a post in October last year, he said that “every day, Telegram’s moderators and AI tools remove millions of obviously harmful content from our public platform” – adding, one month later, that “all large social media apps are easy targets for criticism due to the content they host” and that “media coverage of Meta’s moderation efforts has been particularly negative for most of its history”.

He then promised: “We shall solve any potential challenges the same way we do everything else – with efficiency, innovation and respect for privacy and freedom of speech.”

And on 13 October, a week after Hamas’s attack on Israel, Durov posted: “Hamas used Telegram to warn civilians in Ashkelon to leave the area ahead of their missile strikes. Would shutting down their channel help save lives – or would it endanger more lives?”

EU launches proceedings against X over Israel-Hamas disinformation

User choice

Separately, Durov also pointed out that he tried to restrict Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine, because they were being used for military propaganda.

But “both our Ukrainian and Russian users vehemently opposed restrictions, prioritising the freedom to access information, even when it’s biased,” he wrote. “I supported our users’ choice.”

French cyber experts reveal vast network of Russian disinformation sites

And in China – known for its merciless crackdown against any form of dissent – Durov claims that Telegram is “the number-one most downloaded mobile app”.

“Access to Telegram requires a VPN in China, but Chinese people are smart – they like Telegram and find a way to use it,” he says.

Chan time

Jackie Chan’s an energetic one. He was out and about in central Paris and carried the flame just before the Paralympic opening ceremony. On Day 1 he was the Grand Palais for the taekwando kick off. By that we mean the start rather than a sudden death session to determine the winner. Chan then whizzed up to Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines to have a view of the cycling. But he was back at the Grand Palais in the evening. Chan’s presence wasn’t just showbiz. The 70-year-old studied a range of martial arts including taekwando during his rise to superstardom. He also boned up on hapkido, karate and judo and, as he showed in the film First Strike, he is a humble student in one of the most revered forms of self-defence – the ladder method.

Horsing around

Still bathing in the felicity of the Paralympics opening ceremony, we find out that we will be able to get up close and personal with Zeus – one of the stars of the Olympics opening ceremony. The metallic horse last seen galloping six kilometres along the river Seine on 26 July will be on show at the Hotel de Ville, the headquarters of the characters that run the capital’s government. Visitors are invited to discover for free, yes, really, the steed and the costume of the rider on that rain-sodden night at the height of summer. So sought after is this opportunity to gaze upon Zeus that slots sold out virtually as soon as they were made available on 27 August. Ever munificent administrators will keep doors open a couple of hours later each night to welcome more admirers of what they describe as “a masterpiece that blends craftsmanship and technology”. The 180cm beast will be stabled in the Hotel de Ville’s courtyard.

Next step

Zeus’s owners, Sanofi, say the horse will be put out to be studied. First at the company headquarters in Paris and then it will be donated to a museum. This is not a one trick pony.

Clip-clop

We’ve come over free association or is that onomatopoeic? Whatever. Former Liverpool Football Club coach Jurgen Klopp was at the La Chapelle Arena to watch Wojtek Czyz play in the para badminton for New Zealand. The two have been friends for more than 20 years. Since quitting the maelstrom of top flight football in England, Klopp is able to kick back without a Gegenpressing looming in the hinterland.

Wild stuff

Mad scenes at the Grand Palais after Zakia Khudadadi won bronze in the para taekwondo under 47kg event for taekwondoka in the K44 category which means they have had an arm amputated or lost their toes which creates problems for lifting their heel. Khudadadi, who was born in Afghanistan, talks of a triple bias. She is a woman, with a disability – no lower left hand – and she wanted to be a sportswoman. After fleeing the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, she made her life in France. Her coach, the French taekwondoka Haby Niaré, picked her up and danced around the combat arena in total joy. Not a dry eye in the house.

In their annual survey, Unicef France and the Federation of solidarity actors (FAS) on Thursday found that at least 2,043 children, including 467 under the age of 4 years old, spent the night outside on the night of 19 August of this year.

They were without a housing solution, even after their families called the 115 emergency housing number – a situation the associations say is “unacceptable” in a country like France.

A representative for the UN children’s agency, Adeline Hazan, said that the number of children sleeping rough is a “flagrant violation of the principles of the International convention on the rights of children”, which France has ratified.

“We are very, very worried to see that, far from getting better, the situation gets worse from year to year,” Hazan told the AFP news agency.

The number of children sleeping rough this year is up 3 percent compared to August 2023, 27 percent compared to 2022 and 120 percent from 2020.

And the survey most certainly undercounted the actual number, as it does not count those families who did not call the emergency housing number, those who live in squatter camps or unaccompanied minors.

“It is a tragedy when you know the disastrous consequences, from mental health to education,” Hazan said, days before the start of the 2024/2025 school year.

The associations say the situation is a result of housing policies that only look at short-term results, focus on getting rid of squatters and cut housing aid to the most vulnerable.

(with AFP)

A month after hosting dozens of European leaders to repair relations following the tumultuous Brexit years, Starmer continued his diplomatic push in Paris.

On Thursday morning, Starmer met with French President Emmanuel Macron. He said they discussed the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, “bilateral issues in terms of trade and defence and security, but also the wider reset that I want in relation to our relations, not just with France, but with the EU in general”, Starmer said.

Before meeting Macron, Starmer attended the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on Wednesday night. His visit to France followed a stop in Germany, where he outlined plans for a new bilateral treaty.

After talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Starmer described the proposed agreement – expected to be in place by early next year – as a “once-in-a-generation chance to deliver for working people in Britain and in Germany”.

Starmer’s centre-left Labour Party, which won a landslide election victory in July, has made improving ties with the EU central to its strategy for boosting Britain’s economic growth.

Starmer said his visits to Germany and France were part of an effort to work towards a “reset with Europe, a reset with the EU”.

“That does not mean reversing Brexit or re-entering the single market or the customs union,” he added. “But it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts, including the economy, defence and exchanges.”

He emphasised that he had “clear red lines” ahead of talks with the European Union on the future relationship.

(with newswires)

Amid a political crisis in France, Macron’s visit to Serbia on 29 and 30 August is diplomatically sensitive, with the Elysée Palace remaining tight-lipped about the reasons for the trip.

A scheduled press briefing on Tuesday was abruptly postponed without explanation.

One sure thing is that Macron will meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday evening, when the finalisation of a contract to sell 12 Rafale fighter jets to Serbia is expected to be announced.

Vucic confirmed on Monday that negotiations for the contract were underway and also mentioned potential agreements with French state energy provider EDF to bolster Serbia’s nuclear industry.

Macron’s itinerary includes a visit to a museum and an economic forum on artificial intelligence in Novi Sad on Friday, but the potential sale of Rafale jets has garnered the most attention in Serbia, where the military primarily relies on aging Soviet-era Mig-29s.

While Vucic has frequently claimed that the €3 billion contract with French aeronautics company Dassault is nearly finalised, the French government has remained more cautious.

Selling Rafales to Serbia – a country known for its close ties to Moscow and occasionally aggressive stance toward its Balkan neighbours – raises significant concerns.

Chief among them is how France plans to prevent Rafale technology from being shared with Russia or used to pressure Kosovo, whose independence Serbia does not recognise.

• Macron says Kosovo bears ‘responsibility’ for tensions, NATO to up troops

‘Transactional diplomacy’

Paris has consistently avoided addressing these concerns while defending Serbia in its escalating tensions with Kosovo over a region in its north predominantly inhabited by Serbs who reject Kosovar sovereignty.

Despite Macron’s advisors claiming he is not naive about Vucic’s authoritarian governance, Macron has shown a tendency to sympathise with the Serbian leader.

Vucic, who has ruled Serbia since 2012, employs transactional diplomacy with major powers like Russia, China, and the West.

Since the war in Ukraine began, Vucic has refused to align with European sanctions against Moscow, yet Serbian factories continue to produce arms for Ukraine.

On 20 August, the Elysée Palace stated that Macron’s visit was intended to “reaffirm France’s support for Serbia’s European anchorage”.

The sale of Western military equipment, such as the Rafales, is seen as a gesture to distance Serbia from its traditional Russian ally.

• Why do tensions between Kosovo and Serbia tensions persist?

‘Questionable’ commitment to EU

However, Serbia’s commitment to European integration remains questionable due to certain actions by the Belgrade government.

Just before Macron’s visit, the Belgrade Court of Appeal examined the case of Andrey Gnyot, a Belarusian dissident facing possible extradition to Belarus.

Gnyot claims this is a politically motivated process due to his involvement with “SOS-BY“, an organisation of “free athletes” that formed in response to the 2020 protests against Alexander Lukashenko’s contested re-election in Belarus.

Gnyot was arrested in October 2023 at Belgrade airport and detained under an Interpol Red Notice issued by Belarus, citing “tax evasion”.

In June, Interpol lifted the Red Notice after reviewing new information suggesting it was politically motivated.

Despite this, Serbian authorities have continued to pursue the extradition, citing a 2019 agreement with Minsk – which many see as evidence of a politically charged case consistent with Belarus’ history of fabricating accusations.

Gnyot’s situation is not isolated, as at least three other Belarusian opponents have been previously targeted by Interpol Red Notices in Moldova, Italy, and Poland – none of whom were extradited.

Serbia maintains favourable relations with Belarus, a staunch ally of Moscow in the Ukraine conflict.

Flirting with authoritarian regimes

Several Russian citizens who fled to Serbia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine have faced cancelled residence permits after voicing opposition to Vladimir Putin from within Serbia.

Ahead of Macron’s visit, Piotr Nikitine, co-founder of the Russian Democratic Society in Belgrade, called on European leaders to uphold their values rather than prioritise economic interests with authoritarian regimes.

Just a month ago, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Belgrade to advocate for a controversial lithium mine project crucial for the German automotive industry but opposed by environmentalists.

For the first Paralympic opening ceremony to be held outside the main stadium, around 20,000 people lined the Avenue des Champs Elysées for the parade of participants with physical, visual and intellectual impairments before they made their way into an arena constructed for 35,000 people around the Obelisk on the Place de La Concorde.

Accessibility for athletes in wheelchairs from the 168 delegations was facilitated with strips of asphalt laid along the avenue and placed over the square.

After the French team entered the stadium, Tony Estanguet, head of the organising committee for the Olympics and Paralympics, hailed the Paralympians as revolutionaries.

“Like our ancestors, you have panache,” said Estanguet. “Like them you are fighting for a cause bigger than you. In your case your weapons are your records.

No limits

“Tonight you’re inviting us to join you in your Paralympic revolution, to give everybody their full place. When the sport starts we will no longer see disabilities but champions. You have no limits, so let us stop imposing limits on you.”

Andrew Parsons, the boss of the International Paralympic Committeee, (IPC) which oversees the event, injected a geopolitical note into the proceedings.

“At a time of growing conflict and exclusion, let sport bring us together,” he said.

“Let sport serve as a powerful force for good. We have 11 days of sensational sport to enjoy together.”

Parsons, who took over at the IPC in September 2017 after heading the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, added: “The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will show what persons with disabilities can achieve at the highest level when the barriers to succeed are removed.

“The fact these opportunities largely exist only in sport in the year 2024 is shocking. It is proof we can and must do more to advance disability inclusion — whether on the field of play, in the classroom, concert hall or in the boardroom.”

Open

After France’s President Emmanuel Macron formally declared the Paralympic Games open, dancers dressed in white performed a piece to convey force, power and determination before the Paralympic flag was raised.

And to prepare the scene for the arrival of the flame, French musician Sébastien Tellier performed his hit song La Ritournelle.

Paralympians Charles-Antoine Kouakou, Fabien Lamirault, Elodie Lorandi, Alexis Hanquinquant and Nantenin Keita simultaneously lit the flame in the Olympic cauldron which is designed to look like a hot air balloon.

It eventually rose into the night sky as the Eiffel Tower glittered in the hinterland.

Ryadh Sallem, who will be competing in his sixth Paralympic Games, told France TV:  “The ceremony was powerful and moving.”

The 53-year-old added: “People were wondering what could be done better after the Olympics opening ceremony … well here it was. There was spectacle and emotion.”

Throughout the show, directed by Thomas Jolly who also led the Olympic opening ceremony, performers with and without disabilities seamlessly, projected a theme of inclusion and overcoming physical differences.

French singer Lucky Love, rechristened the song My Masculinity as My Ability. Starting in a white suit, the 30-year-old flamboyantly removed the jacket to reveal only one arm.

Musa Motha, whose left leg was removed due to cancer, used crutches to steer an array of dancers through a dynamic and captivating vignette.

Just hours before the opening ceremony, organisers said two million tickets had been sold for the 549 events that start on Thursday morning.

“We’ve taken a step forward since Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021,” said the wheelchair tennis player Diede de Groot.

The 27-year-old Dutchwoman added: “We are much more visible and I think we have to see these Paralympic Games as a challenge to improve that visibility further and to make things more visible for others.”

The Games will conclude on 8 September with a closing ceremony at the Stade de France in Saint Denis.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement Wednesday that the judge found there were grounds to formally investigate Durov on all the charges for which he was initially arrested for questioning.

The charges include suspected complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals.

Durov, a French citizen born in Russia, was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport near Paris as part of a judicial inquiry involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

His arrest has sparked outrage in Russia, where government officials have called it politically motivated and evidence of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech.

This reaction has surprised some, as Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram in 2018, eventually lifting the ban in 2020.

Reaction from Iran

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned, Durov’s arrest prompted comments from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered veiled praise for France, saying it was “strict” against those who “violate your governance” of the internet.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Durov’s arrest wasn’t a political move but part of an independent investigation.

Macron posted on X that France is “deeply committed” to freedom of expression, but that this freedom is upheld within a legal framework to protect citizens and respect their rights.

In a statement after Durov’s arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws and that its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving”.

The platform added: “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform”, and reassured its nearly billion users of its commitment to resolving the situation promptly.

• Police arrest Russian over alleged Paris Olympics ‘destabilisation’ plot
• European crackdown reveals widespread child pornography network 

Russia ready to ‘assist’ Durov

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that Durov would have all necessary legal support and said Moscow is “ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to the Telegram CEO as a Russian citizen.

However, Peskov noted the complexity of the situation given Durov’s dual citizenship in Russia and France.

Telegram, founded by Durov and his brother, has long been a controversial platform, particularly in Russian politics.

The messaging app became a crucial tool for communication and news sharing during the Russian government’s crackdown following the pro-democracy protests in Moscow in 2011 and 2012.

Western governments have often criticised Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

Around 6,000 competitors and officials paraded around the Champs Elysées and the Place de la Concorde on 28 August during a four-hour sound and light spectacular.

And why not? The River Seine beat at the heart of the launch show for the Olympics on 26 July.

Nigh on a month later, two of the most quintessentially Parisian landmarks provided the backdrop for the start of the Paralympic fest.

That the Paralympics’ begin so soon after such a significant moment in World War II history, adds poignancy to the event – the Games’ origins lie in the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers from that conflict.

Veterans’ sports day

On 29 July 1948 at the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville, patients – many of whom were war veterans – participated in a sports day while the opening ceremony for the London Olympics was taking place at Wembley Stadium in north-west London.

Though the spotlight was very much on proceedings in the capital, the idea of competitive sports contests was well received. The concept gradually gained traction under the centre’s charismatic director Ludwig Guttmann.

Before fleeing his native Germany in 1939 with his family to avoid the rising anti-semitism, Guttmann studied under the pioneering neurosurgeon Otfrid Foerster.

While Foerster excelled in brilliant surgical techniques such as cutting problematic nerve roots in the spinal cord for the treatment of spasticity, Guttmann injected a mental component into his care for people with spinal injuries.

He advocated sport as a way to reinstall a sense of self-worth and physical well being.

Held every summer in the verdant grounds of the hospital after that 1948 launch, the Stoke Games were rechristened the International Stoke Mandeville Games (ISMG) in 1952 when a team from the Netherlands competed.

In 1955, France’s first sports association for physically handicapped people, the Amicale Sportive des Mutilés de France, sent representatives to the fourth ISMG.

Milestone

In 1960, the ISMG celebrated two firsts. They were held away from the hospital and in the same city as the Olympic Games.

In what was retrospectively anointed the first Paralympic Games, 400 competitors from 23 countries took part in 57 events in eight sports between 18 and 25 September at the Aqua Acetosa Stadium.

At the closing ceremony, Guttmann, as patron of the Games, said: “The vast majority of competitors and escorts have fully understood the meaning of the Rome Games as a new pattern of reintegration of the paralysed into society, as well as the world of spoart.”

Nearly 64 years later, athletes from 168 nations will compete in 549 events across 22 sports.

The 2024 Games will feature para badminton and para taekwondo, which made their debut in Tokyo three years ago. They will unfold at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena and the Grand Palais respectively – the same venues used for the sports during the Olympics.

There will be para archery, para athletics, para cycling, para swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and sitting volleyball.

With the inclusion of athletes with intellectual or visual impairments, shorter limbs and amputees, Paris 2024 will be a far cry from Guttmann’s original sports day when all participants had spinal cord injuries and competed in wheelchairs. 

Changing perceptions

“The Paralympic movement is changing not only the way we look at disability but also the way we think about it, with classifications based on functional capabilities,” said Anne Marcellini, associate professor at the University of Lausanne, who co-curated an exhibition on the paralympic movement at the Pantheon in Paris.

“The idea of the exhibition was to showcase the sports leaders who have shaped the movement and made a strong social commitment. The repercussions of this have been felt way beyond the competitive sporting arena.”

But that change has taken years to install.

Who are the French athletes competing in the Paris Paralympic Games?

After taking place in the same city as the Olympics in Rome in 1960 and Tokyo in 1964, the Paralympics were subsequently shunted to separate cities.

Instead of Mexico City in 1968, the Paralympics was held in Tel Aviv. The summer Olympics was held in 1972 in Munich – the Paralympics in Heidelberg.

Montreal was awarded the summer Games in 1976 and Toronto the Paralympics. The apartness only ceased in 1988 when Seoul hosted both. And the habit has continued as the Paralympic Games have grown to become the planet’s third biggest sporting show behind the Olympics and the football World Cup.

Expect surprises

“The Paralympics is the only global event where persons with disability are front and centre of everything,” said Andrew Parsons, boss of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) which was set up in 1989 with the aim of using para sport as a way to advance the lives of the 1.2 billion people with disabilities

“Paralympic athletes will surprise you,” Parsons added. “They will defy what you thought was possible. They will challenge what you thought was possible.

“There will be 12 days of top class sport that will change France forever. It will change how people think about themselves and it will change how people think about people with disability in general.”

A breakdown of ticket sales a week before the start of the Paralympic Games confirmed his assertions.

The data showed nearly 75 percent of the 1.75 million seats sold were to fans from the Ile de France – the 12,000 square kilometre area housing more than 12 million people aorund Paris.

IPC chiefs say they are confident they will reach a cumulative TV audience of more than 4.25 billion viewers – up on the record set at Tokyo 2020 of 4.1 billion.

Local and vocal

Parsons also stressed the impact of local support on the performance of athletes.

“Like with the Olympics, I believe vocal French support can propel French Paralympians to sporting success,” he said.

Recalling his experience at the Rio 2016 Paralympics while he was head of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, he added: “I lost count of the unexpected medals won by the Brazilian team because they found that extra strength, speed, and skill from the energy of the home crowd.

“It’s perhaps the 10th of a second that makes the difference between silver and gold.”

How the public – and in particular during the Paralympics – those with disabilities reach the venue will come under the spotlight.

Organisers estimate 350,000 people with disabilities will converge on Paris during the Paralympic Games.

Paris accessibility

They will find only 29 of Paris’s 320 metro stations are fully or partially accessible to wheelchair users.

Ile de France Mobilités, which oversees public transport in Paris, has acknowledged the deficiencies in its system but says it is committed to providing accessible routes on other forms of transport and promoting smartphone apps such as EZYMOB to help navigate the city.

Nicolas Mérille, an accessibility adviser at APF France Handicap, told France 24 he hopes the Games will be a catalyst for change.

“We’ve got to hope that the Paralympic Games is a wake-up call and raises awareness to show that accessibility is just segregation by another name,” he said.

In tandem with the country’s social goals, French participants have been set competitive targets of claiming 20 gold medals and finishing eighth in the medals table.

“For the first time in its history, France will be present in all of the sports on the Paralympic programme,” said Marie-Amélie Le Fur, head of France’s paralympics committee.

“We’ve seen what the Olympians achieved, and now it’s the turn of the Paralympians.”

The suspect, an Algerian man identified as EHK, who expressed deep hatred of Jews, and told prosecutors he acted in “support of the Palestinian cause”, was charged with attempted terrorist murder on the grounds of race or religion and for association with a criminal organisation.

He will remain in custody, along with another suspect who was charged with association with criminal terrorism. A third suspect charged with having transported EHK has been released under supervision.

In a statement to the media Wednesday, France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) said EHK was “radicalised in the practice of his religion over several months” and had long harboured “a hate for Jews, particularly focused on the situation in Palestine”.

• Anti-Semitism in France ‘quadrupled’ on back of Israel-Hamas war

“He had admitted to the facts in the first hearing” and “explained that he acted in support of the Palestinian cause, denying any homicidal intent but conceding to have had intended to cause fear”, the public prosecutor said.

EHK was filmed by CCTV setting multiple fires around the Beth Yaacov synagogue in Grande-Motte, near Montpellier, on Saturday before the morning Shabbat service which was attended by five people, including the rabbi.

An explosion injured a police officer, and the suspect was later apprehended in Nimes after a shootout with police.

(with AFP)

Azerbaijan showcased its military might in a grand parade in Baku last year to celebrate its victory in recapturing the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave from Armenian-backed forces.

Azerbaijan, buoyed by its oil wealth, is continuing its aggressive rearmament programme, heavily relying on Turkey for military support.

“The Turkish defence industry and Turkish military equipment will be providing further arms to protect Azerbaijan,” predicts Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University.”

However, Bagci noted that Azerbaijan is also turning to another ally for advanced weaponry.

“Israel is much better in this respect. Azerbaijan buys the highest technology from Israel, and Israel is providing it.”

Turkish and Israeli arms played a crucial role in Azerbaijan’s recent military successes, overwhelming Armenian-backed forces that relied on outdated Russian equipment.

Armenia’s response

In response to its loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia is also ramping up its military capabilities, with France leading the supply of new, sophisticated weaponry.

Paris argues that this support helps Armenia shift its focus away from Russian reliance and towards Western alliances.

Yerevan maintains that its rearmament is purely for self-defence.

“Right now, there is no military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” says Eric Hacopian, a political consultant in Armenia.

“The goal is to create deterrents to make any aggression against Armenia more costly. In the medium term, we aim for equality, and in the long term, superiority.”

Stalled peace talks

The rearmament comes amid stalled peace talks, with Baku concerned that Yerevan’s military buildup might indicate ambitions to retake Nagorno Karabakh.

“The truth is our territory was under occupation, so we worry that in five, 10 years, Armenia will rearm its military, strengthen military capacities, and will come back,” warned Farid Shafiyev, chairman of the Baku-based Centre of Analysis of International Relations.

Yerevan maintains that its rearmament is purely for self-defence.

“Right now, there is no military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The goal is to create deterrents in the short run to make any aggression against Armenia far more costly than it has been in the past,” says Eric Hacopian, a political consultant in Armenia.

“Two is to create equality in the middle term and in the long term superiority. You can’t have any other goal when your country is constantly under threat, or attack is the only way to respond to it.”

Hacopian also notes: “The moment Armenia can defend itself, then the game is up because Ilham Aliyev is not going to risk a war that he is not guaranteed to win; Armenia rearming means he is not guaranteed to win a war which he means he won’t launch one.”

However, Hacopian acknowledges that the coming year will be dangerous for the region as Yerevan seeks to close the military gap with Azerbaijan.

“Next year is the year of living dangerously because next year is the last year that they can do a major aggression against Armenia without having to face the consequences because the gap is closing. Once it closes, the game will be up,” he says.

Ongoing tensions

Earlier this month, Armenian and Azerbaijani forces exchanged fire in a border skirmish, underscoring the ongoing tensions between the two nations.

Both Baku and Yerevan insist their military enhancements are for defensive purposes.

However, Bagci warns that the arms race is turning the region into a potential flashpoint.

“Armenia and Azerbaijan are like two children; they play with fire, and the house is burning, and everybody is asking the big powers why the house is burning and who has done it. They have done it together,” he says.

Despite their rearmament, both Armenia and Azerbaijan claim to remain committed to the US-backed peace process.

Analysts, however, warn that the escalating arms race could deepen mutual suspicions and further complicate efforts to achieve lasting peace.

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

The ePOP video competition is open!

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects.

You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine.  And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!

Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry.  You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.

The competition closes 12 September. We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service.  Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note!  I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

This week’s quiz: On 29 June, I asked you a question about France’s snap elections for the lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron had just dissolved the Assembly after his party was rather severely trounced in the European Parliament elections by the far-right National Rally party.

The first round of voting was on 30 June, and the candidates were, as I noted then, promising the moon to voters … you were to listen to Sarah Elzas’ report on her Spotlight on France podcast, and send in the answer to this question: What did the National Rally party say they would do in July to decide what they can or cannot do, as far as their economic promises to the voters?

The answer is: As Romeric Godin told Sarah on the podcast: “Many of the spending proposals put forward by Bardella and the RN are predicated on an audit of the country’s finances, planned as of July, which would determine what can (and cannot) be done.

“That’s a traditional way to say ‘We can’t implement some promises we made before, because public finances are not in order’,” says Godin, skeptical that the RN will be able to deliver.

For Godin, the economic audit offers a way out: “They can say that if the report on France’s public finances is very bad, they will not do it in the autumn, or at all.”

The fiscal information is all there, no audit is necessary.  France’s Cour des Comptes, the country’s independent and supreme audit institution, publishes a monthly report on the country’s finances. It’s not a secret document. It’s online, and everyone can read it.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What do you remember about your first day at your first job?”, which was suggested by Mokles Uddin Mollahis from Bogura, Bangladesh.

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: RFI English listener Rafiq Khondaker, the president of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations, Riaz, on your double win.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Liton Ahamed Mia, from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khokhar from the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. 

Congratulations winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Sous le ciel de Paris” by Hubert Giraud and Jean Dréjac, sung by the one and only Edith Piaf; the traditional valse-musette “A Happy Day in Paris” performed by AccordionMan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Hymne à l’Amour” by Marguerite Monnot and Edith Piaf, sung by Céline Dion.

Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate.

You have until 16 September to enter this week’s quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 September podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.

Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club,  

In a world increasingly dominated by Western beauty standards promoted through pop culture and the global beauty industry, the Decolonising Beauty campaign seeks to challenge narrow perceptions and showcase the multifaceted beauty traditions in Africa.

The campaign uses a multi-platform approach to reach a broad audience of English and French speakers in Africa and around the world.

A series of initiatives from the campaign will be announced until the end of the year involving photographers, artists, poets, media makers and content creators.

Zikora Media & Arts founder Chika Oduah tells us more.

• Read also: French lawmakers vote in favour of bill to ban hair discrimination

Episode mixed by Cécile Pompéani

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale

Abbas received a standing ovation in the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, where he addressed an extraordinary session. Deputies wore scarves adorned with Turkish and Palestinian flags as a show of solidarity.

With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan watching from the balcony, Abbas praised Turkey’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.

“We highly appreciate Turkey’s pioneering role under the leadership of President Erdogan for its courageous and unwavering positions in defense of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to freedom and independence,” declared Abbas.

Increasing isolation

Erdogan is attempting to position himself at the forefront of international opposition to Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, even as Turkey finds itself increasingly sidelined from global efforts to resolve the conflict.

China’s recent hosting of Palestinian faction leaders highlights Erdogan’s diminishing influence.

“Erdogan was hoping to reconcile Palestinian factions, but China stole the spotlight and acted preemptively. China had more political clout over the parties,” Selin Nasi, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics contemporary Turkish studies department, told RFI.

Abbas’s visit to Russia on Tuesday further underscores the growing importance of other nations in efforts to address the Gaza conflict.

Domestic message

Erdogan’s invitation to Abbas also serves as a way to reinforce his pro-Palestinian credentials with his domestic conservative base.

“He’s trying to keep his base intact domestically,” Sezin Oney, a commentator on Turkey’s Politikyol news portal, told RFI.

“Once upon a time, Erdogan resonated with the Arab public in general.

“The Arab Street, as it was called back then, and the Muslim population in general saw him as connected with international grassroots movements. But he doesn’t have that appeal anymore; he’s lost that appeal.”

Turkey a bridge?

Erdogan has long claimed to be a bridge between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

“This is an issue that Erdogan personally invested a lot of time and energy in,” said Selin Nasi.

However, Erdogan’s influence with Hamas has waned, particularly after the assassination of its leader Ismail Haniyeh last month, and his replacement by Yahya Sinwar, who is relatively unknown in Turkey.

“They cannot host [Sinwar], they cannot contact him, nor do they have the kind of relations that they had with Haniyeh. So they have to settle with Mahmoud Abbas at this point,” Oney said.

Abbas, however, appears to show little interest in Turkey’s playing a larger role in resolving the conflict, and Erdogan’s strong support of Hamas and his fiery rhetoric against Israel is increasingly isolating him from countries seeking to end the fighting.

Hello everyone!

Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear what Rodrigo Hunrichse, your fellow RFI English listener, has found to be true in his life. Don’t miss it!

Here’s Rodrigo’s essay:

Seize the moment, cherish loved ones, make a good impression, avoid toxicity, plant seeds, harvest in time, write/ report regularly, study/ inform yourself, make good, love, find someone to love you back, question important things, rest regularly, good deeds should return, bad ones too, don’t judge until having good understanding of facts, don’t take their words for a fact: verify, don’t mind popular opinion, save for the uncertainty, remember good/bad people in your life so you’ll be remembered similarly, find a belief and a belonging so you have peers to support and be supported, no one is perfect especially you that know yourself, take care of yourself so to age with dignity, it’s never too late!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “People Are Strange”, by Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger, performed by The Doors. 

The quiz will be back next Saturday, 24 August. Be sure and tune in! 

In a ceremony attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, China’s BYD car company signed an agreement to build a billion-dollar factory in Turkey.

The factory will produce 150,000 vehicles annually, mainly for the European Union market.

Analysts say the July deal marks a turning point in Turkish-Chinese relations.

“The significance of this deal is Turkey would be considered as a transition country between China and the EU,” Sibel Karabel, director of the Asia Pacific department of Istanbul’s Gedik University told RFI.  

“This deal has the potential to reduce the trade imbalance, the trade deficit, which is a detriment to Turkey,” he adds, “Turkey also wants to reap the benefits of China’s cutting-edge technologies by collaborating with China.”

Sidestepping tariffs

China’s pivot towards Turkey, a NATO member, is also about Beijing’s increasing competition for global influence, especially with the United States.  

Karabel says the planned BYD factory offers a way for China to avoid the EU’s new tariffs on vehicles.

Turkey is already a part of China’s global investment strategy through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Beijing has shown interest in Turkey becoming a trade route from China to Europe through Ankara’s Middle Corridor Intiative.

But until now, such collaborations have until been just empty words, claims Ceren Ergenc a China specialist at the Centre for European Policy Studies.  

Turkey set on rebuilding bridges with China to improve trade

“When you look at the press statements after meetings, you don’t see Chinese investments in Turkey, and the reason for that is because China perceives Turkey as a high political risk country in the region,” Ergenc explains.

One of the main factors widely cited for Beijing’s reluctance to invest in Turkey is Ankara’s strong support of China’s Muslim Uyghur minority.

Ankara has been critical of Beijing’s crackdown on Uyghurs, offering refuge to many Uyghur dissidents. Their Turkish supporters fear Beijing’s billion-dollar investment in Turkey could be part of an extradition deal struck during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent visit to China.

“There are rumors, of course, that the Chinese side is pressing for the ratification of this extradition agreement, that they would want Uyghurs in Turkey, some of them at least, to be returned to China to be tried in China,” warns Cagdas Ungor of Istanbul’s Marmara University, referring to people China considers to be dissidents or “terrorists”.

Common ground over Gaza

Elsewhere, Ankara and Beijing are finding increasing diplomatic common ground, including criticism of Israel’s war on Hamas.

“If you take, for instance, the Gaza issue right now, Turkey and China, and even without trying,” observes Ungor, “they see eye to eye on this issue. Their foreign policies align, overlap, and their policy becomes very much different from most of the other Western countries.”

Carmakers unhappy after EU hits China with tariffs on electric vehicles

For example, Ankara welcomed last month’s decision by Beijing to host Palestinian leaders amid an escalation of threats and bombardment by Israel.

Such a move can provide common ground, Ungor suggests, and this could be the basis for future cooperation.

“There are certain issues at a global level, at the regional level, that China seems to be a much better partner(to Turkey) than the Western countries,” he concludes.

Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as the Heart of India. Located right in the middle of the country, the Indian region shows everything India has to offer through its abundant diversity. The IFTM trade show, which took place in Paris at the end of September, presented the perfect opportunity for travel enthusiasts to discover the region.

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board, sat down to explain his approach to sustainable tourism.

“Post-covid the whole world has known a shift in their approach when it comes to tourism. And all those discerning travelers want to have different kinds of experiences: something offbeat, something new, something which has not been explored before.”

Through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Shukla wants to showcase the deep history Madhya Pradesh has to offer.

“UNESCO is very actively supporting us and three of our sites are already World Heritage Sites. Sanchi is a very famous buddhist spiritual destination, Bhimbetka is a place where prehistoric rock shelters are still preserved, and Khajuraho is home to thousand year old temples with magnificent architecture.”

All in all, Shukla believes that there’s only one way forward for the industry: “Travelers must take sustainable tourism as a paradigm in order to take tourism to the next level.”

In partnership with Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board.

Also known as the Land of the Beautiful Islands, Malaysia’s landscape and cultural diversity is almost unmatched on the planet. Those qualities were all put on display at the Malaysian stand during the IFTM trade show.

Libra Hanif, director of Tourism Malaysia, explained the appeal of the country as well as the importance of promoting sustainable tourism today: “Sustainable travel is a major trend now, with the changes that are happening post-covid. People want to get close to nature, to get close to people. So Malaysia being a multicultural and diverse [country] with a lot of natural environments, we felt that it’s a good thing for us to promote Malaysia.”

Malaysia has also gained fame in recent years, through its numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include Kinabalu Park and the Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley.

Green mobility has also become an integral part of tourism in Malaysia, with an increasing number of people using bikes to discover the country: “If you are a little more adventurous, we have the mountain back trails where you can cut across gazetted trails to see the natural attractions and the wildlife that we have in Malaysia,” says Hanif. “If you are not that adventurous, you’ll be looking for relaxing cycling. We also have countryside spots, where you can see all the scenery in a relaxing session.”

With more than 25,000 visitors at this IFTM trade show this year, Malaysia’s tourism board got to showcase the best the country and its people have to offer.

In partnership with Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. For more information about Malaysia, click here.