The City of Lights is preparing to wow the world anew, but this time the focus is on the Paralympics. They will open with an unprecedented ceremony set against the iconic backdrops of Paris. The historic first will see the not-so-little city hosting the opening shindig right in its heart. But for all the spectacle, isn’t there something rather dramatic—a word that in French can also mean “visually impressive”—about the unfolding of the event manifestation?

Paris, the city of love, is competing against several accusations. As it plays host to 4,400 athletes preparing for competition, Paris is trying hard to showcase itself as more than a “just a pretty face” pertinent place. The Municipal Council’s main line of defense seems to be a program they call “Accessible Paris.” They tout various improvements they claim have been made to the city’s transport system, with one especially eyebrow-raising (or absurd) “improvement” being the claim that one can now book assistance online for when one is going to ride the Métro. Still, access to the Métro’s many stations and to the trains themselves goes way beyond “Accessible Paris 1.0.”

Is Paris turning the historic games into mere theater, or is it truly transforming for tastier inclusivity? A record number of nations competing in a sellout event is proof that the excitement is real. But will Paris’ moment raise its legacy or, like its predecessors, simply not learn from its shortcomings? The eyes of the world are on this city of love and lights, which has a chance to show everybody a good time. And when people everywhere have a good time, that’ll be as inclusive as it gets.

Prepare yourself to see not only the history of sports being made but also the possible transformation of society.