The opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics, the largest sports gathering for the disabled, started at 8 pm Saturday in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

 

Fireworks kick off the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games opening ceremony at the National Stadium, better known as the "Bird's Nest", in Beijing on September 6, 2008. [Xinhua] Click for more photos

Opening just two weeks after the Beijing Olympics ended, the largest-ever Paralympics are expected to be staged in a way that it will be remembered as an equal splendor as the Beijing Olympic Games.

At least 4,000 athletes from more than 140 countries and regions will participate in the September 6-17 Games, competing in 472 events of 20 sports. Athletes will use many of the same Olympic venues.

"This fully demonstrates the global care and support for sports for people with a disability," Chinese President Hu Jintao said at the welcoming luncheon of the Beijing Paralympic Games earlier Saturday.

Hu attended the opening gala with International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Philip Craven and other dignitaries.

Following a brief welcome ceremony performed by hundreds of kids in colorful costumes, the athletes paraded in amid exciting music and thundering cheers from the stands of the stadium with a seating capacity of 91,000.

Performers dance at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games opening ceremony at the National Stadium, better known as the "Bird's Nest", in Beijing on September 6, 2008. [Xinhua] Click for more photos

The parade sequence was decided by the number of strokes of the first character of the delegations' Chinese names, and Guinea, whose name begins with a two-stroke character, became the leader, followed by Turkey.

The paralympians, many in wheelchairs or on crutches, all carried broad smiles and constantly waved hands, flags and hats to the cheering crowd.

 Beijing, Nihao!

The German delegation, while marching ahead in the Stadium, displayed a German national flag with Chinese characters of "Beijing, Nihao!"(Hello, Beijing!), splashing another round of spirited applause from the spectators.

Two members of the German Paralympic delegation hold a German national flag with the Chinese characters meaning "Hello, Beijing" as they march into the National Stadium or the "Bird's Nest" at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games September 6, 2008. [Xinhua] Click for more photos

China has fielded the largest-ever delegation of 547 members, including 332 athletes to the Beijing Paralympics.

Wang Xiaofu,20, an amputee swimmer and triple gold medalist at the Athens Games, carried the national flag for the Chinese delegation at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics. (Xinhua contributed to this story)