Paralympic symbols

Paralympic Games

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* Summer Paralympics
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* Asian Para Games
* African Para Games
* European Para Championships
* Parapan American Games

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The Paralympic symbols are the icons, flags, and symbols used by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to promote the Paralympic Games.

## Motto

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The current Paralympic motto is "Spirit in Motion". It was introduced at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.[1]

## Symbol

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### Current

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Emblem of the Paralympic Games ("Paralympic Agitos")

Armiger| Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee
Adopted| 28 September 2004; 20 years ago (2004-09-28)
Shield| Three agitos, coloured red, blue, and green, the three colours.

The symbol of the Paralympic Games consists of three red, blue, and green crescents encircling a single point on a white field.[1][2] It was modernized from the 1992 emblem by advertising agency Scholz & Friends[3] and was formally used for the first time during the closing ceremony of the 2004 Summer Paralympics.[4][3]

In October 2019, the IPC unveiled a new version of the emblem with a "stricter" geometry and brightened colours to match those used in the Olympic rings.[5][6]

### Previous

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The first Paralympic symbol (1988–1994) used five pa.

The first Paralympic logo was created for the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul and based on a traditional Korean decorative component called a pa, two of which make up the taegeuk symbol used in the flag of South Korea. The first Paralympic flag used five identically colored pas arranged similarly to the Olympic rings.[1][2]

In 1991, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requested that the IPS modify its logo due to its similarity to the Olympic emblem.[1][2][7][8] As a result, a new Paralympic symbol utilizing only three pas was revealed at the 1992 Winter Paralympics.[7] It took effect after the 1994 Winter Paralympics and officially remained through the 2004 Summer Paralympics.[1][2]

## Paralympic emblems

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Like the Olympics, each Paralympic Games has a unique emblem[9] incorporating a version of the Paralympic symbol, the name and year of the event, and distinctive and cultural elements of the host nation. The emblems, once approved by the IPC, are used in promotional materials, by sponsors, and on Paralympic uniforms.

## Flag

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The International Paralympic Committee

The Paralympic agitos
Use| Sport
Proportion| 3:5 or 1:2
Adopted| 20 October 2019

The Paralympic flag consists of the Paralympic symbol on a white background. The current version of the flag was first flown in 2019.

## Flame and torch relay

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Since the 1988 Summer Paralympics, the Paralympic torch was used to maintain energy and keep energy dissipated before the Paralympic games.

Until the 2010 Winter Paralympics, each Organizing Committee was free to choose which method and how the Paralympic torch would be lit.[10] Following the Games, calls emerged for a "heritage flame" to become a permanent tradition of the Paralympics.[11] In August 2013, a ceremonial heritage flame was lit during a ceremony at Stoke Mandeville Stadium,[12] and on October 2023, it was announced that future Paralympic torch relays would officially in begin Stoke Mandeville, in a direct parallel to the traditional Olympic flame lighting in Olympia.[13][14][15]

## Medals

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Paralympic medals are made of gold-plated silver, silver, or bronze and are awarded to the top 3 finishers in each event. They are designed differently for each Paralympic Games.

## Anthem

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Anthem of the Future
French: Hymne de l’Avenir
German: Hymne der ZukunftHymne de l’Avenir
Hymne der Zukunft

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Official anthem of the Paralympic Games and the International Paralympic Committee

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Lyrics| Graeme Connors, 2001
Music| Thierry Darnis, March 1996
Adopted| 1996

The Paralympic Anthem, also known as the Paralympic Hymn, is played during the raising of the Paralympic Flag. The anthem, "Hymne de l’Avenir" (en. "Anthem of the Future"), was composed by Thierry Darnis.[16] It was approved by the IPC in March 1996,[17] and lyrics were added by Australian country singer Graeme Connors in 2001.

## Paralympic Oath

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The Paralympic Oath is recited at every Paralympic opening ceremony. It is a solemn promise made while holding the Paralympic Flag by one athlete, judge, and coach representing, respectively, all participating competitors, officiating referees and officials, and coaches.

### History

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The Paralympic Oath has been taken since the first Paralympic Games and is identical to the original Olympic Oath written by Pierre de Coubertin, with the exception of the word 'Olympic' being substituted by 'Paralympic".

## Paralympic Order

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See also: List of recipients of the Paralympic Order

The Paralympic Order is the highest award given by the Paralympic Movement to individuals for particularly distinguished contributions to the Movement.[18][19]

## Post-nominals

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Starting in 2022, the IPC introduced post nominals, similar to the IOC's OLY, to recognize individuals' contribution to the Paralympic movement. They was first awarded to Ragnhild Myklebust and Kevin Coombs.[20][21]

## Mascots

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Main article: Paralympic mascots

Each Paralympic Games has a mascot, usually an animal native to the area or, occasionally, human figures representing the host nation's cultural heritage.

## See also

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* Olympic symbols

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e "New Logo and Motto for IPC". International Paralympic Committee. 2003. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
2. ^ a b c d International Paralympic Committee – The IPC logo, motto and flag, CRWFlags.com
3. ^ a b "No. 18: The Agitos, the Paralympic symbol is unveiled". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
4. ^ New Logo and Motto for IPC Archived 6 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine, International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
5. ^ "IPC Launches New Look: Change Starts with Sport". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
6. ^ "Refreshed IPC logo designed to give "parity" with Olympic Rings". www.insidethegames.biz. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
7. ^ a b Vom Rehabilitationssport zu den Paralympics Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (German), Sportmuseum Leipzig
8. ^ Athlete first: a history of the paralympic movement, by Steve Bailey, Google Books
9. ^ Paralympic Emblems Archived 4 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine, The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
10. ^ Games symbols and mascots, Get Set – London 2012 Education Programme
11. ^ Goddard, Emily (3 January 2013). "Bid to make Stoke Mandeville permanent home of Paralympic Torch lighting gathers momentum". insidethegames. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
12. ^ Butler, Nick (8 August 2013). "Stoke Mandeville set to become permanent home for lighting of Paralympic Flame". insidethegames. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
13. ^ Fullbrook, Danny (6 October 2023). "Stoke Mandeville revealed as permanent home of Paralympic flame". BBC News. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
14. ^ Burke, Patrick (6 October 2023). "Stoke Mandeville to stage first standalone Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony". insidethegames. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
15. ^ "Paralympic Flame to be created at Stoke Mandeville for all future Paralympic Games". International Paralympic Committee. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
16. ^ "Graeme Connors adds Lyrics to Paralympic Hymn". The Paralympian. No. 4\. 2001. Archived from the original on 6 January 2002. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
17. ^ IPC Handbook – Bylaws Governance and Organizational Structure Archived 26 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine (.pdf file), International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
18. ^ The Paralympian – Issue 1/2010 Archived 19 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, The Paralympian page 14, International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
19. ^ Paralympic Order, International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
20. ^ "IPC introduces PLY post-nominal titles to recognise Paralympians".
21. ^ "The Paralympic pioneers who helped create a PLY legacy".

## External links

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* Official site of the Paralympic Movement

* v
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Paralympic symbols

* Parlympic emblem
* Paralympic flag
* Paralympic flame
* Final torchbearers
* Torch relays
* designs
* Paralympic Hymn
* Paralympic mascot
* Paralympic motto
* Paralympic poster

* v
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* e

Paralympic Games

* Charter
* Host cities
* IPC
* NPCs
* Medal tables
* Medalists
* Participating nations
* Summer
* Winter
* Sports
* Symbols

Summer Games|

* 1960 Rome
* 1964 Tokyo
* 1968 Tel Aviv
* 1972 Heidelberg
* 1976 Toronto
* 1980 Arnhem
* 1984 New York / Stoke Mandeville
* 1988 Seoul
* 1992 Barcelona / Madrid
* 1996 Atlanta
* 2000 Sydney
* 2004 Athens
* 2008 Beijing
* 2012 London
* 2016 Rio de Janeiro
* 2020 Tokyo†
* 2024 Paris
* 2028 Los Angeles
* 2032 Brisbane

Winter Games|

* 1976 Örnsköldsvik
* 1980 Geilo
* 1984 Innsbruck
* 1988 Innsbruck
* 1992 Tignes / Albertville
* 1994 Lillehammer
* 1998 Nagano
* 2002 Salt Lake City
* 2006 Turin
* 2010 Vancouver
* 2014 Sochi
* 2018 PyeongChang
* 2022 Beijing
* 2026 Milano Cortina
* 2030 French Alps
* 2034 Salt Lake City–Utah

†Postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
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