Para Games opening to highlight love
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The opening ceremony of the Guangzhou Asian Para Games will not focus on high-tech performances but emotion - a feature that will display disabled performers' and athletes' love for life and society, Zhu Jianwei, director-in-chief of the ceremony, said.
The ceremony, scheduled on Dec 12 at the Aoti Main Stadium in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, includes three parts - each with an emotional theme to convey love among family, society and disabled persons, Zhu said.
"I'm 100 percent confident of showcasing a truly stunning gala for disabled persons," Zhu said.
But Zhu had to wait for the conclusion of the Asian Games to prepare for rehearsals because the Asian Para Games opening ceremony was scheduled at Aoti Main Stadium, one of the major Asiad competition venues.
"My confidence comes from the ceremony's theme - a reflection of disabled persons' dream of a beautiful life, their passion and society's care for them," Zhu told China Daily.
According to Zhu, more than 200 mothers of disabled athletes - from 41 participating countries and regions - will accompany their children during the athletes' admission ceremony.
"They are more like cheerleaders for disabled athletes. You know that a mother will never stop loving their children," Zhu said.
Disabled artists will also perform during the ceremony, which in the director's eyes is in keeping with the ceremony's theme.
"The performance will highlight disabled persons' spirit of becoming stronger," Zhu said.
Moreover, two blind children will carry the Chinese national flag and hand it over to flag bearers, then two disabled children will light the flame of the Asian Para Games, according to Zhu.
"The love between parents and children - especially when talking about disabled persons - is an eternal theme that will be surely touching for all audience," Zhu said.
Before the Asian Para Games, Zhu was not a household name. He had been a directing team member of the opening ceremony of Beijing Asian Games in 1990.
"I was too young at that time," said Zhu, whose inspiration for the opening of the Guangzhou Asian Para Games came partly from a story of his disabled younger sister.
Zhu's sister died in 2003 of a disease that caused her bones to lose their blood supply.
"Before her death, she kept telling me to thank people who once gave love to her. From then on, I knew what was really important in a disabled person's heart," Zhu said.
"My sister's story greatly refreshed my mind and gave me a lot of passion when I was assigned to direct the opening ceremony."
The ceremony, which will also feature typical Cantonese songs, includes 4,600 performers, of which 300 are disabled, according to Zhu.
