2000 Summer Paralympics: Difference between revisions

The opening ceremony commenced on Wednesday 18 October at 8.00 pm with over 6000 performers and volunteers taking part.<ref name="ref9">{{cite book |last=Brittain |first=Ian |year=2012 |title=From Stoke-Mandeville to Stratford: A History of the Summer Paralympic Games|publisher= Illinois: Common Ground}}</ref> The show started by the Australian wheelchair artist [[Jeff St John|Jeffrey St. John]] sang the national anthem "[[Advance Australia Fair]]" and "The Challenge". The 2-hours and half ceremonies ended when [[Kylie Minogue]] take the stage with a special acapella version of "[[Waltzing Matilda]]", her rendition of [[Celebration (Kool & the Gang song)|Kool & the Gang's "Celebration"]] and her current hit "[[Spinning Around]]".World-know australian actor [[Bryan Brown]] acted as the narrator for the event.Among [[Yothu Yindi]] performers for the Opening Ceremony included the bands [[Taxiride]], with [[Nathan Cavaleri]], [[Melissa Ippolito (actress)|Melissa Ippolito]], [[Billy Thorpe]], [[Jack Thompson (actor)|Jack Thompson]], the singers [[Renee Geyer]], [[Tina Harris (Australian musician)|Tina Harris]], [[Vanessa Amorosi]] and the cultural part was opened by [[Christine Anu]]. Australian country artist [[Graeme Connors]] singedsang "Being Here", as the event's official theme song. Addresses were given by [[John Grant (neurosurgeon)|John Grant]], president of the SPOC, and [[Robert Steadward]], president of the IPC, prior to Sir [[William Deane]] declaring the official opening of the games. This was followed by [[Tracey Cross]], a blind swimmer, taking the oath on behalf of the athletes and Mary Longden, an Equestrian referee, taking the oath on behalf of the officials.