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Twelve years ago, before many of you were born, my very first job as a reporter was at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

During the Games, the world witnessed some of the most iconic moments in para-sport history.

London 2012 changed the way disabled people were seen and treated by society and ignited a feeling of joy, understanding and togetherness.

All of a sudden, Paralympic athletes were seen as true sporting heroes, and people started to talk about disability in a positive way.

Paris has promised to deliver a Games to remember, and I truly believe it will.

When I tell Parisians why I'm in their city, they always respond with a huge smile and go on to tell me how excited they are that Paris is hosting the Paralympic Games for the very first time.

A delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 had to be held without fans due to the Covid pandemic, and Rio 2016 was affected by the extraordinary cost of hosting such a massive international competition.

Both the Tokyo Games and the Rio Games were held in different time zones to the UK, which meant that people living in the UK were less able to watch events live.

I'm pleased that we don't have to worry about that this year because France is just one hour ahead of the United Kingdom!

After Wednesday's opening ceremony, we have 11 days of sport and culture to look forward to.

My daughter Jessica is 14 years old and doesn't remember any of London 2012, and I know that will probably be the same story for you.

But it was historic for so many reasons. And now you could be about to witness something on a similar scale.

If you take the time to watch some of the Paralympic events this year, I guarantee you'll be talking about what you've seen with your pals in the playground and beyond.