2008 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Summer Paralympics
closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium
, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8
) on September 17, 2008. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture.
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8
UTC+8
UTC+08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .With an estimated population of 1.53 billion living within the time zone, roughly 22.5% of the world population, it is the most populous time zone in world, as well as a possible...
) on September 17, 2008. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture.
Sequence of events
The closing ceremony took place on September 17, 2008 in the National Stadium . The sequence of events was;- Performance: Write the Postcard – "Cartoon postmen" come to the Bird’s Nest to invite audience members to write their wishes on postcards. The Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games will be presented on a plain stage, a stretch of ordinary lawn serving as the center of the performances.When the spectators first enter the National Stadium, they find no stage in a traditional sense in the huge stadium, only a stretch of grass. Director Zhang YimouZhang YimouZhang Yimou is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum....
assured reporters that the field of the Bird’s Nest was left in its original state on purpose, to serve as the backdrop for Closing Ceremony performances. He believes that the field itself expresses a language of art. At the Closing Ceremony, flowers will bloom on the grass, forming the words "A Letter to the Future" in both Chinese and English – a magnificent scene that will be remembered forever in the minds of spectators. - Entrance of the flags of all delegations
- Entrance of the athletes of all delegations
- Entrance of Hu JintaoHu JintaoHu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
, President of the People's Republic of ChinaPresident of the People's Republic of ChinaThe President of the People's Republic of China is a ceremonial office and a part of State organs under the National People's Congress and it is the head of state of the People's Republic of China . The office was created by the 1982 Constitution...
and Philip CravenPhilip CravenSir Philip Craven MBE is a British sports official and former athlete. He is the second and current President of the International Paralympic Committee .-Education:...
, President of the International Paralympic CommitteeInternational Paralympic CommitteeThe International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports... - Countdown
- Raising the national flag of China and playing the Chinese national anthem
- The Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award was given out shortly after the firework to two recipients.
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- Said GomezSaid GomezSaid Gomez, born in 1966, is a Panamanian athlete. Visually impaired, having "lost his sight at a young age", he has represented Panama at five consecutive editions of the Summer Paralympic Games...
, a participant of athleticsAthletics at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsAthletics at the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in Beijing National Stadium from September 8 to September 17. There were 160 gold medals in this sport.-Classification:Athletes are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability...
for PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, aged 42, is a five-time Paralympian. He lost his sight at a young age and went through his father's discouragement and punishment to take part in his first Paralympics in 1992 where he won a gold and silver medals. The Panamanian NPCNational Paralympic CommitteeNational Paralympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Paralympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Paralympic Committee , they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Paralympic Games.The Paralympic Games are a major...
was only established in 2006 and prior to that, Gomez attended the Paralympics at his own expense. Since 1982, Gomez, who makes his living by farming, has been coaching children able bodied and with disabilities just for the love of sports. For the first time in his six Paralympics, Gomez returned home without a medal as he failed to progress through the first round in both his events – the 1,500m and 5,000m. - Natalie du ToitNatalie du ToitNatalie du Toit is a South African swimmer. She is best known for the gold medals she won at the 2004 Paralympic Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. She was one of two Paralympians to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; the other being table tennis player Natalia Partyka...
, a South African swimmer, aged 24, who lost her lower left leg in a motorcycle accident in 2001, won five gold medals at the Beijing Paralympics to equal her haul from Athens2004 Summer ParalympicsThe 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
. Du Toit is also the first female amputee to compete in an able-bodied Olympics. She finished 16th among 25 competitors in the 10-kilometer open-water swim last month at the Beijing Games.- New members of the IPC Athletes’ Commission are presented – The six new members of the Athlete's Commission present flowers to 12 representatives of Games volunteers.
- Exit of the flags of all delegations.
- Performance
- Red Leaves of Fragrant Hill – The red leaves of Fragrant Hill, a famous scenic spot in Beijing, are famous for their beautiful shape and dazzling colors. In this chapter, the red leaves become an artistic image representing the people of Beijing and all expressing sincere good wishes to friends from around the world.
- Sowing
- Watering
- Harvest
- Celebration
- Performance: Mail It to the Future – One hundred "postmen" standing on top of the Bird's Nest drop petals ceremoniously; while another 100 "postmen" fly up and down the rim of the Bird's Nest like swan geese. They solemnly deliver the colorful postcards signed by Beijing people and the audience present to the athletes of all delegations, one by one… The "postmen" among the audience also drop the postcards of the audience into the postbox in the stadium to send them to the places all over the world through China PostChina PostChina Post , which is the name used by the State Post Bureau of PRC in business, is the official postal service of the People's Republic of China. China Post is operated by the State Post Bureau of the People's Republic of China. The State Post Bureau, commonly referred to as China Post, is both a...
. - Speeches
- Liu QiLiu QiLiu Qi may refer to:* Emperor Jing of Han, personal name Liu Qi, 6th emperor of the Western Han Dynasty* Liu Qi - oldest son of Eastern Han Dynasty warlord Liu Biao...
, president of the Beijing Organizing CommitteeBeijing Organizing CommitteeThe The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or BOCOG, also known as the Beijing Organizing Committee, is an informal name for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. It was also the organizing committee for the Games of the XIII Paralympiad...
for the Olympic Games said "The Wishes of Red Leaves of Fragrant Hill, Paralympic athletes at Beijing have accomplished remarkable achievements by breaking 279 world records and 339 Paralympic records. They have shown their positive attitude toward life, such as self-respect, self-confidence, self-improvement and self-reliance. They have sung a hymn to humanity by displaying their sporting excellence." - Sir Philip CravenPhilip CravenSir Philip Craven MBE is a British sports official and former athlete. He is the second and current President of the International Paralympic Committee .-Education:...
, IPCInternational Paralympic CommitteeThe International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
president said "A Letter to the Future." "An ethereal Opening Ceremony. Staggering athletic performances in perfect stadia, The best-ever Paralympic villages. Amazing high-definition television coverage. A never-ending and self-generating supply of passion and emotion. Superb organization. Wonderful volunteers. Millions of new Paralympic sports aficionados both here in China and around the world. These are the greatest Paralympic Games ever."
- Liu Qi
- Raising the national flag of BritainUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
and playing the British national anthemGod Save the Queen"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
. - Lowering the IPC flag.
- IPC Flag Handover Ceremony – Beijing Mayor Guo JinlongGuo JinlongGuo Jinlong is a politician of the People's Republic of China and Mayor of Beijing.- Biography :He graduated from Nanjing University Department of Physics in 1969 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1979, and was sent to work in Sichuan....
gives the IPC flag to Sir Philip Craven, who transfers it to London Mayor Boris JohnsonBoris JohnsonAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
. - London Handover Presentation – The LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
bus, previously used in the Olympic Games handover presentation2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremonyThe 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 24, 2008...
returns. This time revealing an interior that is predominantly green with lush grass and a hedge cut into the shape of the London skyline. Paralympian Ade Adepitan guides the bus to the Stadium. - Extinguishing of the Paralympic flame.
- Said Gomez
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