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| Paralympics: Games opening promises 'journey of discovery' | Paralympics: Games opening promises 'journey of discovery' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Final preparations have begun for the London Paralympics opening ceremony, heralding 11 days of competition for athletes with disabilities. | Final preparations have begun for the London Paralympics opening ceremony, heralding 11 days of competition for athletes with disabilities. |
| Some 3,000 volunteers will take part in the event, which organisers have entitled Enlightenment. | Some 3,000 volunteers will take part in the event, which organisers have entitled Enlightenment. |
| Professor Stephen Hawking and actor Sir Ian McKellen will narrate the show, which is due to begin at 20:30 BST. | |
| But there are doubts the Paralympic flame will arrive on time, as the torch relay is now more than two hours late. | But there are doubts the Paralympic flame will arrive on time, as the torch relay is now more than two hours late. |
| Meanwhile, href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19412536" >Malawi have withdrawn from the games due to lack of funding. | |
| BBC political reporter Matthew Cole said organisers of the 24-hour long torch relay are "looking glum" about the delay to the torch relay. | |
| A back-up flame was earlier created at City Hall, to make certain the opening ceremony could start as planned. | A back-up flame was earlier created at City Hall, to make certain the opening ceremony could start as planned. |
| A spokesman for Games organisers Locog said: "Part of the flame has gone ahead to the stadium as a back-up contingency plan. | A spokesman for Games organisers Locog said: "Part of the flame has gone ahead to the stadium as a back-up contingency plan. |
| "The relay is going to continue." | "The relay is going to continue." |
| The flame began its journey in Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic Games, on Tuesday night. | The flame began its journey in Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic Games, on Tuesday night. |
| It will be will be carried by 580 torchbearers in total, and after being carried past some of London's most famous landmarks, will be used to light a scaled-down version of the Olympic cauldron. | It will be will be carried by 580 torchbearers in total, and after being carried past some of London's most famous landmarks, will be used to light a scaled-down version of the Olympic cauldron. |
| UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association have set a minimum target of 103 medals this time from at least 12 sports, including swimming, athletics and rowing. | UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association have set a minimum target of 103 medals this time from at least 12 sports, including swimming, athletics and rowing. |
| Human possibility | Human possibility |
| The opening ceremony - which will be broadcast on href="http://paralympics.channel4.com/" >Channel 4 and href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/" >BBC Radio 5 live - will signal the start of 11 days of competition by more than 4,000 athletes from 165 countries, including more than 300 athletes from ParalympicsGB. | |
| Backstage, organisers and volunteers are busily applying final touches to props and paraphernalia - a wipe-down of a flag pole here, a lick of paint to a prop there. | Backstage, organisers and volunteers are busily applying final touches to props and paraphernalia - a wipe-down of a flag pole here, a lick of paint to a prop there. |
| The ceremony explores the twin themes of reason and rights, and we're promised a journey of discovery, led by celebrated scientist Professor Stephen Hawking and Shakespeare's character Miranda from The Tempest. | The ceremony explores the twin themes of reason and rights, and we're promised a journey of discovery, led by celebrated scientist Professor Stephen Hawking and Shakespeare's character Miranda from The Tempest. |
| The cast includes 73 deaf and disabled professional performers and also well-known names like Sir Ian McKellen as a Prospero-type character, singer Beverley Knight and 3,250 volunteers aged 10-80 from all over the world. | The cast includes 73 deaf and disabled professional performers and also well-known names like Sir Ian McKellen as a Prospero-type character, singer Beverley Knight and 3,250 volunteers aged 10-80 from all over the world. |
| Organisers say the show is about challenging perceptions. There will be athletes, flags, royals and Tom Heatherwick's cauldron as expected. | Organisers say the show is about challenging perceptions. There will be athletes, flags, royals and Tom Heatherwick's cauldron as expected. |
| There will also be a Hadron collider and a fly-by by Aerobility - a charity that trains disabled people to become pilots - and the humble apple is also playing a key role in proceedings. | There will also be a Hadron collider and a fly-by by Aerobility - a charity that trains disabled people to become pilots - and the humble apple is also playing a key role in proceedings. |
| "You all need to make sure you have an apple," said artistic director Jenny Sealey ahead of the ceremony. "Because everybody, 62,000 people in the audience will also have their apple. | "You all need to make sure you have an apple," said artistic director Jenny Sealey ahead of the ceremony. "Because everybody, 62,000 people in the audience will also have their apple. |
| "We're asking people on television to make sure they have their apple. We want to stage the biggest ever apple bite." | "We're asking people on television to make sure they have their apple. We want to stage the biggest ever apple bite." |
| Paralympic organisers are looking to break records before the Games have even begun! | Paralympic organisers are looking to break records before the Games have even begun! |
| A capacity crowd of 80,000 people will watch the ceremony in Stratford, east London, which will be opened by the Queen and watched by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. | A capacity crowd of 80,000 people will watch the ceremony in Stratford, east London, which will be opened by the Queen and watched by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. |
| The start of the show will feature a fly-past by Aerobility, a British charity that trains disabled people to become pilots. | The start of the show will feature a fly-past by Aerobility, a British charity that trains disabled people to become pilots. |
| Fifty specialist performers in the ceremony have taken part in an eight-week circus skills training programme in east London, and will take part in a high-wire act. | Fifty specialist performers in the ceremony have taken part in an eight-week circus skills training programme in east London, and will take part in a high-wire act. |
| The show's two artistic directors have said the main themes of the ceremony will be empowerment and the challenging of perceptions of human possibility. | The show's two artistic directors have said the main themes of the ceremony will be empowerment and the challenging of perceptions of human possibility. |
| Prof Hawking - a world-renowned physicist who has motor neurone disease - will join McKellen to narrate a scientific "journey of discovery", inspired in part by Prof Hawking's own book A Brief History of Time. | |
| The organisers have revealed that Prof Hawking will act as a guide to Miranda, a character from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, through the show. | The organisers have revealed that Prof Hawking will act as a guide to Miranda, a character from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, through the show. |
| McKellen will play Prospero, another character from the play. | |
| Jenny Sealey, co-artistic director said the audience will be taken on an "exquisite journey of discovery inspired by the wonder of science". | Jenny Sealey, co-artistic director said the audience will be taken on an "exquisite journey of discovery inspired by the wonder of science". |
| She added: "Both Hawking and McKellen in their narrative talk about what we all need to remember: don't just look down at your feet, look at the stars, be curious." | She added: "Both Hawking and McKellen in their narrative talk about what we all need to remember: don't just look down at your feet, look at the stars, be curious." |
| Her fellow artistic director Bradley Hemmings said the team approached Prof Hawking towards the end of 2011. | Her fellow artistic director Bradley Hemmings said the team approached Prof Hawking towards the end of 2011. |
| 'Prudent budget' | 'Prudent budget' |
| "We worked very closely with Professor Hawking to develop a series of messages which are very much integrated into the storytelling of the ceremony. | "We worked very closely with Professor Hawking to develop a series of messages which are very much integrated into the storytelling of the ceremony. |
| "We have spent time with him [Prof Hawking] in Cambridge and have been so incredibly gratified with him giving his time". | "We have spent time with him [Prof Hawking] in Cambridge and have been so incredibly gratified with him giving his time". |
| Sealey would not revealed the cost of the event, but said it had been put together on a "prudent budget". | Sealey would not revealed the cost of the event, but said it had been put together on a "prudent budget". |
| About £27m was spent on Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle's spectacular Olympic opener, with the remaining £53m divided between the Paralympic opening event and the closing ceremonies for both Games. | About £27m was spent on Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle's spectacular Olympic opener, with the remaining £53m divided between the Paralympic opening event and the closing ceremonies for both Games. |
| Lord Coe, chairman of Locog, said the ceremony will be a "great showcase of the skills and excellence of disabled artists". | Lord Coe, chairman of Locog, said the ceremony will be a "great showcase of the skills and excellence of disabled artists". |
| "The London 2012 Ceremonies are truly global events, with billions of people across the world watching the four shows. This is undoubtedly a fantastic opportunity to showcase talents to the world." | "The London 2012 Ceremonies are truly global events, with billions of people across the world watching the four shows. This is undoubtedly a fantastic opportunity to showcase talents to the world." |
| Hopes are high that ParalympicsGB will emulate the success of TeamGB, but one of the UK's most decorated Paralympians has warned the competition for medals is likely to be tougher than ever. | Hopes are high that ParalympicsGB will emulate the success of TeamGB, but one of the UK's most decorated Paralympians has warned the competition for medals is likely to be tougher than ever. |
| Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, who has won 11 Paralympic gold medals, said overseas athletes will want to beat a British competitor on home soil. | Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, who has won 11 Paralympic gold medals, said overseas athletes will want to beat a British competitor on home soil. |
| "Most countries are envious of the support and funding our athletes enjoy but ParalympicsGB have been preparing well and will give everything they can to win all the medals they can," she added. | "Most countries are envious of the support and funding our athletes enjoy but ParalympicsGB have been preparing well and will give everything they can to win all the medals they can," she added. |
| Britain finished second in the medals table at the 2008 Games in Beijing, winning 42 golds, 29 silvers and 31 bronzes. China were top with 211 medals, of which 89 were gold. | Britain finished second in the medals table at the 2008 Games in Beijing, winning 42 golds, 29 silvers and 31 bronzes. China were top with 211 medals, of which 89 were gold. |
| Are you going to the opening ceremony? Or are you hosting, or going to, a Paralympic party? Are you a torch bearer? Please get in touch with us using the form below. | Are you going to the opening ceremony? Or are you hosting, or going to, a Paralympic party? Are you a torch bearer? Please get in touch with us using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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