The stunning Paralympics opening ceremony took place on the 24 August in Tokyo and the spectacular flag parade was led by members of the refugee team. UTS was watching dressed in purple and were proud to see their youth ambassadors Husnah Kukundakwe carrying proudly the Uganda flag and Ezra Frech representing USA with a massive team of 240 athletes.
The theme of the ceremony was “Moving Forward: We Have Wings.” As part of the vibrant and emotional three-hour extravaganza, the Olympic Stadium was turned into a magical “airport” as “passengers” – the athletes and the billions of viewers around the world – were invited to sit back and enjoy the fun and excitement.
The performers aimed to inspire and show that not matter what way the wind blows in life, we have wings. The focus of the Ceremony was a 13 year old girl Wago Yui who dazzled the audience and left us all inspired to reach higher and never give up. The concept was fully in line our vision and promoted inclusion, equality and & non-discrimination. Wago represented a little one-winged plane, who was too afraid to fly. She then took the audience on a journey where she met characters who inspired her to start living life to the fullest and she was able to regain her courage and fly. The performances were a vibrant extravaganza of acrobats, mythical creatures and dancers all dressed in exquisite costumes. The world was able to virtually watch incredible performances from the athletes and during the Paralympics will inspire many people.
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons called for a more inclusive world outside of the Paralympic Games and said: “The Paralympic Games are for sure a platform for change, but only every four years is not enough. It is up to each and every one of us to play our part, every day, to make for a more inclusive society in our countries, in our cities, in our communities.”
Finally, the Paralympic flame arrived at a stunning cauldron, and three torchbearers were given the honour of lighting it: Japan’s world number one women’s wheelchair tennis player, KAMIJI Yui; UCHIDA Shunsuke, a boccia athlete and powerlifting champion MORISAKI Karin. They each held a torch and moved in their wheelchairs up the ramp to the cauldron before they ignited the flame together, which set off a firework display that lit up the city night sky and launched the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. UTS congratulates everyone who made this event possible and we are blown away with inspiration from all the performers. The opening also gave a stage to the WeThe15 global movement and encourages us all to be more inclusive of the 1.2 billion people with disabilities.
#repost @Olympics
To find out the schedule of the games visit:
International Paralympic Committee
#Paralympics
#Toky02020
#WeThe15
#inclusion
#StrongerTogether
