The Paralympic symbols are the icons,

flag A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...

s, and symbols used by the

International Paralympic Committee The International Paralympic Committee (IPC; german: Internationales Paralympisches Komitee) is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and func ...

to promote the

Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaired ...

Motto

The Paralympic motto is "Spirit in Motion". The motto was introduced in 2004 at the Paralympic Games in Athens. The previous motto was "Mind, Body, Spirit", introduced in 1994.

Paralympic symbol

Current

The symbol of the

is composed of three " agitos", coloured red, blue, and green, encircling a single point, on a white field. The agito ("I move" in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

) is a symbol of movement in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent.International Paralympic Committee – The IPC logo, motto and flag
CRWFlags.com The colours of the agitos with the white background stand for the three colours that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The three agitos encircle a centre point, to emphasize "the role that the

(IPC) has of bringing athletes from all corners of the world together and enabling them to compete". The shape also symbolises the Paralympic vision "To enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world". The emblem was designed by the agency

Scholz & Friends Scholz & Friends is one of Europe's largest advertising agencies. The company was founded in Hamburg by Jürgen Scholz, Uwe Lang and Michael Menzel in 1981. Today, the company has dual headquarters in Hamburg- HafenCity and Berlin- Mitte. Scholz ...

as a modernization of a tri-coloured emblem first adopted in 1992. It was used in a formal capacity for the first time during the closing ceremony of the

2004 Summer Paralympics ) , nations = 136 , athletes = 3,806 , events = 519 in 19 sports , opening = 17 September , closing = 28 September , opened_by = President Costis Stephanopoulos , cauldron = Georgios Toptsis , stadium = Olympi ...

in Athens, where a new Paralympic flag with the emblem was handed over to Beijing—host of the

2008 Summer Paralympics The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games (), the 13th Summer Paralympic Games, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. It was f ...

. The agitos were used as part of the branding for a Paralympics for the first time at the 2006 Winter Paralympics. In October 2019, the IPC unveiled a new corporate identity and a refreshed version of the Agitos emblem; the three crescents were changed to have a more "strict" geometry with consistent shapes and alignment, and the colours were brightened to match those used in the

Olympic rings The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses icons, flags and symbols to elevate the Olympic Games. These symbols include those commonly used during Olympic competition—such as the flame, fanfare and theme—as well as those used throughout ...

. The IPC also announced a new "brand narrative" of "Change Starts with Sport", to "better communicate the transformational impact the Paralympic Movement has on society and drive the human rights agenda."

The first designated Paralympic logo was created for the

1988 Summer Paralympics The 1988 Summer Paralympics () were the first Paralympics in 24 years to take place in the same city as the Olympic Games. They took place in Seoul, South Korea. This was the first time the term "Paralympic" was used officially. Bidding pro ...

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

and based on a traditional

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

n decorative component called a ''pa'' , two of which make up the ''

taegeuk ''Taegeuk'' (, ) is a Korean term cognate with the Chinese term '' Taiji'' ( Wade-Giles spelling: ''T'ai-chi''), meaning "supreme ultimate", although it can also be translated as "great polarity / duality". The symbol was chosen for the desig ...

'' symbol at the center of the

flag of South Korea The national flag of South Korea, also known as the Taegukgi (also spelled as ''Taegeukgi'', ) and colloquially known as the flag of Korea, has three parts: a white rectangular background, a red and blue Taegeuk in its center, accompanied by fo ...

. The first Paralympic flag used five pa arranged similarly to the

and coloured identically. Nearby,two years after adopted in 6 October 1990, the International Coordinating Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC) was informed in a telegram,that the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swis ...

(IOC) requested that five-pa symbol had to be altered,as the IOC's marketing department considered it too similar to the Olympic rings and this could lead a confusion about the similarity of the logos.Vom Rehabilitationssport zu den Paralympics
(

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

), Sportmuseum Leipzig A new symbol was created and was planed to be used starting in 1991 included six overlapping pa in a circle,representing the then 6 IPC regions (Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Middle East and Oceania). In November 1991, the IPC members voted against the new symbol, retaining the five-pa symbol. However, the IOC made clear that it would refuse future collaborations with the IPC if the five-pa symbol remained in place. IPC logo (1994-2004)

In March 1992, the Paralympic symbol was simplifield to a new version utilizing only three pa, representing the new motto of the institution - Body, Soul and Spirit. Following a new agreement between the IOC and the IPC, the symbol would have to be immediately discontinued after the after the

1994 Winter Paralympics The 1994 Winter Paralympics ( no, Paralympiske vinterleker 1994; nn, Paralympiske vinterleikane 1994), the sixth Paralympic Winter Games, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10 to 19 March 1994. These Games marked the second time the Paral ...

Lillehammer Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munic ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

, since the Lillehammer Paralympic Organizing Committee (LPOC) had by then already started a marketing program based on the five-pa version. The three-pa version remained in place from the closing of the Lillehammer Games through the

closing ceremonies held in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

Paralympic emblems

As the Olympic Games,each Paralympic Games edition has its own Paralympic

emblem An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often use ...

that embodies their vision and ideals for that edition.Every emblem is individual and respects the local design and own personality. See also: :Summer Paralympic Games and :Winter Paralympic Games for various Paralympic emblems. Those designs incorporates their version of the Paralympic symbol,used at the time,the name and year of the event, and one or more distinctive and cultural elements of the host country or city to identify the event. It is the responsibility of the

(IPC) to approve Paralympic emblems for the Paralympic Games. The Paralympic emblems are used in promotional materials, by sponsors, and on the uniforms of every Paralympic competitor. All emblems are the property of the IPC. * Rome 1960 – * Tokyo 1964 – * Tel Aviv 1968 – * Heidelberg 1972 – * Toronto 1976 – * Örnsköldsvik 1976 – * Arnhem 1980 – * Geilo 1980 – * Stoke Mandeville & New York 1984 – * Innsbruck 1984 – * Seoul 1988 – * Innsbruck 1988 – * Tignes-Albertville 1992 – designed by Jean-Michel Folon *

Barcelona 1992 The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...

– Originally, the Organizing Committee of the XXV Summer Olympic Games (COOB'92) as the first unifield Organizing Committee, proposed to the ICC and the IOC the use of the same logo as the Olympic Games, but with the removal of the Olympic rings and in their place the word "Paralympics".Both IOC and ICC rejected the proposal and in the second version the 5 pa used in Seoul were added. However, the proposal was again rejected.A third proposal was created and was acepted by the two parts.The new logo symbolized an individual (man or woman) in a dynamic attitude in a wheelchair, "a human figure in a sports attitude". It was based upon a symbolic depiction of a human figure using a wheelchair. This design is an adapted version of the Olympic logo, with a simple modification: the athlete's legs are replaced by a circle symbolizing,the spinning world,a wheelchair and the adapted sport.As the Olympic logo red and yellow are the colors of Spain and meaning the sun and the life and blue is used to reference to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

and the "Mediterranean-ness" of Barcelona. The use of Times Demi Bold (New Roman) typography references antiquity and Romanness, Latin-ness and seriousness.https://paralympicanorak.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/summer-paralympic-games-logos-1960-2008/ , Paralympic Anorak *

Lillehammer 1994 The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...

– Depicting the

sun people The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

. This image portrayed the ideas of power, vitality, strength and energy, all of which are characteristics of the athletes who took part. *

Atlanta 1996 The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta ...

– Entitled ‘Starfire’ the logo for the Atlanta Paralympics was meant to represent the fulfilment of an athlete's dream and the phoenix myth. It may be interpreted as the star being the athlete and the fire being the passion that burns in the heart to fulfil their dreams. The fifth point of the star, revealed by the ‘dynamic flow of the rings’ represents the fulfilment of the athletes’ quest. *

Nagano 1998 The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Japan, with some events taki ...

– The logo design selected for the Nagano 1998 Winter Paralympics was designed by Sadahiko Kojima following the announcement of a national competition. It represents a simplified form of the Chinese character ‘naga’ for Nagano. It also symbolises a rabbit jumping and playing in snow or on ice with the swift movements that are characteristic of rabbits. This figure was combined with the Games details and the former IPC logo of three tae-gu *

Sydney 2000 The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

– The Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games logo embodies the vitality of Sydney, the spirit of Australia and the ability and achievement of the Paralympic athlete. The logo depicts a dynamic human form — represented by three graphic shapes — leaping triumphantly forward and “breaking through” towards the Paralympic Games in 2000. It also portrays the Paralympic torch and echoes the sails of Sydney's greatest landmark, the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

. The logo cast by the three Paralympic colors represented by Australia's unique shades of these colors: the rich blue of

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane Cove and Parramatta River, Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or harbor, natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. T ...

, the warm red of the

Outback The Outback is a remote, vast, sparsely populated area of Australia. The Outback is more remote than the bush. While often envisaged as being arid, the Outback regions extend from the northern to southern Australian coastlines and encompass a ...

, and the lush green of the forest .An introduction to emblems and mascots of Paralympic Games (photos attached)
, The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games * Salt Lake 2002 – The logo for the Salt Lake Paralympics can be split into three distinct parts making up the whole. The sphere at the top represents both the global unity and the new moment of the Paralympic Movement and also the head of the Paralympic athlete, which the overall logo appears to depict. The two broad fluid lines represent the athlete in motion with the three tae-guks, the then IPC logo, beneath the athlete. *

Athens 2004 The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

– Called as "Son of Sun" was a designed logo inspired by Disk of Hephaestus and the Sun. This design aimed to embody the strength and determination of the Paralympic athlete. It features the profile of an athlete – male or female – looking forward, symbolising optimism for the future. At the same time, this human face attempts to reflect the individual's willpower and determination to succeed in all pursuits. The face's lines are smooth, and the chosen colors is warm and bright shades of orange

Hephaestus Hephaestus (; eight spellings; grc-gre, Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire (compare, however, with Hestia), and volcanoes.Walter B ...

and Sun colors)– harbinger of the great celebration to come. *

Torino 2006 The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second t ...

– Three graphic elements,used as part of the Olympic Games logo design,with a diferent position.The figure represent human figures creating an upward soaring movement. Designed by the Benincasa-Husmann Studio *

Beijing 2008 The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nat ...

– Dubbed ‘Sky, Earth and Human Beings’ and unveiled during a grand ceremony at the

China Millennium Monument The China Millennium Monument () is a monumental complex centered around a structure that evokes both a monumental Chinese altar and a sundial. Associated with Jiang Zemin, it was championed from 1994 by CCP official . It was completed in 1999 a ...

on July 13, 2004 in Beijing, the logo for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games is in the form of an athlete in motion. It is intended to embody the tremendous efforts that persons with a disability have to make in sport as well as in everyday life. It is typically chinese in its form and style and the three agitos colours used in a diferent way,as they represent the sun (red), the sky (blue) and the earth (green). They are also intended to reflect the integration of heart, body and spirit, which are at the core values of

chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...

as well as the Paralympic Games. *

Vancouver 2010 )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gret ...

– "Man becomes Mountain": Captures a recort of Vancouver coast and Whistler's forests,as the common things in the two city as the mountains, and the sky. *

London 2012 The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, th ...

– This logo was designed by Wolff Olins, was published on 4 June 2007.Has the same design as the Olympic logo. However, with minor changes such as the colored lines and small parts and the addition of the words "Paralympic Games" and the Agitos in place at the Olympic Rings.Is a representation of the number 2012, with the Paralympic Agitos embedded within the zero. The standard colours are also green, magenta, orange and blue.In order to differentiate the two logos, tactile and colourful lines and areas marks were made within the number 2012. The emblem was released on the same day as the emblem for the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...

. *

Sochi 2014 , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympic ...

– "sochi2014.ru" was the only Paralympic emblem to include a web address. The mirror of "Sochi" and "2014" 'reflects' that Sochi is a meeting point between sea and mountains. The same essential logo shape is to be used for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games,but with diferent colours and the agitos replacing the Olympic Rings. The emblem was released on December 12, 2009, ca 11 days after the emblem for the

. *

Rio 2016 ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...

– A stylized heart in 3D, symbolizing inclusion, passion, tolerance and the warmth of brazilian people. * PyeongChang 2018 - The same Korean letter that symbolises snow, ice and the Paralympic athletes.The two letters together are said to portray a grand festival for the athletes, the audience and everyone around the globe. The letters sitting side-by-side also signify equality, with South Korea's five cardinal colours being used to represent the uniqueness of each individual. *

Tokyo 2020 The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

– The Paralympic emblem features the same indigo-coloured checkerboard that was part of the Olympic logo, but positioned as hand fan in a circle form, filled with an indigo-colored checkerboard pattern. The design is meant to "express a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies the Japanese design". The design replaced the previous design which had been scrapped due to allegations that it plagiarized the logo of the Théâtre de Liège in Belgium. *

Beijing 2022 The 2022 Winter Olympics (2022年冬季奥林匹克运动会), officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), was an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beij ...

- Had the inspiration of a paralympic seated skier with a chinese ribbon motif and the Chinese character "飞" (fēi, means fly), with the rainbow colors. * Paris 2024 - The emblem for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics was unveiled on 21 October 2019 at the Grand Rex. For the first time, a Paralympic Games will share the exact same emblem as their corresponding Olympics, with no difference or variation to reflect the two events sharing a single "ambitions".When showed to the public was explained that "in terms of legacy,Paris City believe,that around the world,the people have needs to strengthen the place of sport in their daily life, and whatever the age, whatever the disability or ability, all the persons have a place and a role to play in the success of Paris 2024. * Milan & Cortina 2026 - * Los Angeles 2028 - * Brisbane 2032 -

Flag

The Paralympic flag has a white background, with the Paralympic symbol in the centre. The current version of the Paralympic flag was first flown in 2019.

Flame and torch relay

Until the

2010 Winter Paralympics ) , nations = 44 , athletes = 506 , events = 64 in 5 sports , opening = 12 March , closing = 21 March , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Zach Beaumont , stadium = BC Place , winter_ ...

, the host country chose the site and the method through which the Paralympic Torch was lit. Since the

2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Ga ...

, the concept of the Paralympic Torch Relay has changed and the Official Paralympic Flame is always created in the Games host city by uniting different regional flames. For London 2012 four regional flames from the national capitals of London,

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

and

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...

were brought together in

Stoke Mandeville Stoke Mandeville is a village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located three miles (4.9 km) from Aylesbury and 3.4 miles (5.5 km) from the market town of Wendover. Although a separate civil ...

, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, on 29 August 2012 to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame. In the future not only flames from regions of the host country will be united, but also other international flames. As such Stoke Mandeville will feature in all future Paralympic Torch Relays with the lighting of the Heritage Flame which will then travel to the host city to join all other flames. During the final 1–2 days the torch follows a linear relay route and, on the day of the Opening Ceremony, the flame reaches the main stadium and is used to light a cauldron situated in a prominent part of the venue to signify the beginning of the Games. Then it is left to burn throughout the Games till the Closing Ceremony, when it is extinguished to signify the end of the Games. For the first time, on 1 March 2014, Stoke Mandeville ran the first ever Heritage Flame lighting ceremony in advance of the Sochi

2014 Winter Paralympics The 2014 Winter Paralympics (russian: Зимние Паралимпийские игры 2014, Zimniye Paralimpiyskiye igry 2014), the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were a ...

. An

Armillary Sphere An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of ...

has been created which will be used at all future Heritage Flame events to create the spark by human endeavor of a wheelchair user.

paralympian

Hannah Cockroft Hannah Lucy Cockroft (born 30 July 1992) is a British wheelchair racer specialising in sprint distances in the T34 classification. She holds the world records for the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres ...

was the first person to create the spark where Caz Walton lit the Sochi Torch and Cauldron, Andy Barlow transferred the flame to Sochi and finally

Denise Knibbs Denise may refer to: * Denise (given name), people with the given name ''Denise'' * Denise (computer chip), a video graphics chip from the Amiga computer * "Denise" (song), a 1963 song by Randy & the Rainbows * Denise, Mato Grosso, a municipalit ...

lit the Paralympic lantern.

Medals

The Paralympic medals awarded to winners are another symbol associated with the Paralympic Games. The medals are made of

gold-plated Gold plating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold onto the surface of another metal, most often copper or silver (to make silver-gilt), by chemical or electrochemical plating. This article covers plating methods used in the modern elec ...

silver (commonly described as

gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have be ...

s),

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

, or

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...

, and awarded to the top 3 finishers in a particular event. For each Paralympic Games, the medals are designed differently, reflecting the host of the games.

Anthem

german: Hymne der Zukunft, italic=no , alt_title = , en_alt_title_2 = , image = , image_size = , alt = , caption = , prefix = Official , country = the

and the

, author =

Graeme Connors Graeme Connors (born 29 April 1956) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. Connors has released seventeen studio albums and has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music award ...

, lyrics_date = 2001 , composer =

Thierry Darnis Thierry is a French male given name, derived from the Germanic "Theodoric". It is the cognate of German " Dietrich" and " Dieter", English Terry, Derek and Derrick, and of various forms in other European languages. It is also a surname. People ...

, music_date = March 1996 , adopted = 1996 , sound = Parlaympic Anthem IPC.ogg , sound_title = ''Paralympic Anthem'' The Paralympic Anthem, also known as the Paralympic Hymn, is played when the Paralympic Flag is raised. It is a musical piece, "Hymne de l’Avenir" ( en. "Anthem of the Future") composed by

. The anthem was approved by the IPC in March 1996. Australian country singer

wrote the lyrics for the anthem in 2001. As of 2022, the lyrics are implemented yet.

Paralympic Oath

The Paralympic Oath is a solemn promise made by one

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-de ...

—as a representative of ''each'' of the participating Paralympic competitors; and by one judge—as a representative of ''each'' officiating Paralympic referee or other official, at the opening ceremonies of each

. The athlete, from the team of the organizing country, holds a corner of the Paralympic Flag while reciting the

oath Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to g ...

: Athletes' Oath :''In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Paralympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.''Paralympic Winter Games History
The Official Web Site of the U.S. Olympic Committee The judge, also from the host nation, holds a corner of the flag but takes a slightly different oath: Judges' Oath (Officials' Oath) :''In the name of all the judges and officials, I promise that we shall officiate in these Paralympic Games with complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them in the true spirit of sportsmanship.'' The coach, from the host nation, holds a corner of the flag but takes a slightly different oath: Coaches' Oath :''In the name of all coaches and other members of the athletes entourage, I promise that we shall commit ourselves to ensuring that the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play is fully adhered to and upheld in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Paralympic movement.''

History

The first Paralympic Oath was taken at the first Paralympic Games, in Rome in 1960. The Paralympic Oath is identical to the Olympic Oath, with the exception of the word 'Olympic' being substituted by 'Paralympic'. The Oath was originally written by

Pierre de Coubertin Charles Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin (; born Pierre de Frédy; ...

. The first oath (an Athlete's Oath) was taken at the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920. The original text by Coubertin, has since been modified several times. The first Judge's/Official's Oath was taken at the Olympic Games in Sapporo in 1972.Paralympic Oath
( .pdf file),

(IPC) The first Coach's Oath was taken at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

Speakers

Athletes and judges that have taken the Paralympic Oath are listed below.

Paralympic Order

The Paralympic Order is the highest award of the Paralympic Movement. The recipients get a medal with the IPC logo on it. The Paralympic Order is awarded to individuals for particularly distinguished contribution to the Paralympic Movement.

Post-nominal

Starting in 2022, the International Paralympic Committee introduced post nominals, PLY, to recognize their contribution to the Paralympic movement, similar to the International Olympic Committee's OLY. It was first awarded to

Ragnhild Myklebust Ragnhild Myklebust, PLY is a Norwegian Nordic skier and multiple gold medal winner at the Paralympic Games. , she holds the record for the most ever medals won at the Winter Paralympics, having won 27 medals, o ...

and

Kevin Coombs Kevin Richard Coombs, OAM PLY (born 30 May 1941) is an Australian wheelchair basketballer and athlete who competed at 5 Paralympics including the first Paralympic Games in 1960. He was the first Australian Aboriginal Paralympic competitor for ...

Mascots

Each

have a

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as ...

, usually an animal native to the area or occasionally human figures representing the cultural heritage. Nowadays, most of the merchandise aimed at young people focuses on the mascots, rather than the Paralympic flag or organization logos.

References

External links

Official site of the Paralympic Movement
– Images and information on every game since 1960.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paralympic Symbols Anthems of organizations