• Ceremony to take audience through circle of seasons honouring the spirit of Festivals
The Ceremony, called ‘Festival of the Flame’ and starting at 8.30pm on Sunday 9 September, will pay tribute to the UK as a nation famous for hosting festivals, and the exuberance of festivals which is felt the world over.
The Ceremony will celebrate the seasonal cycle of ancient and modern festivals that take place throughout the year taking the audience on a journey through Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.
Lead by Closing Ceremonies Artistic Director Kim Gavin along with Music Director David Arnold and Designer Misty Buckley, the Ceremony is overseen by the same team of Executive Producers who have been in charge of all four Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies including Oscar winning film director Stephen Daldry.
Coldplay, one of the Britain’s best selling music acts, will lead the celebrations by performing some of their most iconic songs live including ‘Us Against the World’, ‘Yellow’, ‘Clocks’ and ‘Viva La Vida’. They will perform alongside a cast of more than 1,300 volunteers, 120 child volunteers from schools in the east London Host Boroughs, and a 200 strong professional cast including Candoco Dance Company, disabled ariel performers trained at Circus Space thanks to funding from Arts Council England, and The British Paraorchestra founded by Charles Hazlewood.
The Ceremony will also honour servicemen and women, particularly through the work of charity Help for Heroes, in a section that will see the dramatic raising of the Union flag.
Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: 'Sunday night's Ceremony will mark the end of the Paralympic Games and will be a fantastic celebration for the last night of London 2012. What a summer we have had to celebrate, and this Ceremony will be a fitting celebration of the athletes who have wowed the world, and the volunteers who have made these Games. People should get together with friends and family and tune into Channel 4 at 8.30pm on Sunday and join the party.'
Kim Gavin, Closing Ceremonies Artistic Director, said: 'The Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games is essentially a celebration of the achievements of amazing athletic endeavour of Paralympians from around the world over the previous 11 days. What better way to demonstrate our respect and commitment to these athletes than by celebrating with Britain’s most internationally renowned band. Our ‘Festival of Flame’ will take the audience through a dramatic celebration of seasons and music, and will feature some very special surprises for the watching world. Tune in tomorrow night to find out who else might turn up to join the party.’
Coldplay’s Chris Martin said; 'Being asked to play at the closing celebrations for the Paralympic athletes in London is such a great honour for us. Kim Gavin and Misty Buckley are working hard to put on a spectacular Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony for the athletes and spectators in the stadium, and everyone watching around the world, and we are so happy to be involved.
'It will be one of the biggest nights of our lives and we're very excited to try to create a performance for the last night of the games that will close London 2012 in style.'
- Ends -
Notes to editors:
For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100.
Find out the latest from London 2012 on www.london2012.com, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/london2012 or download the Official London 2012 Join In app.
The Official London 2012 Join In app is a free mobile guide to help you plan, enjoy and share your Games experience. From the Paralympic Torch Relay to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, plus all the cultural, city and community celebrations happening across the UK, the Official London 2012 Join In App is your essential companion. It is available now at app stores and at http://www.london2012.com/mobileapps/
London 2012 Paralympic Games partners:
The Worldwide Paralympic Partners who support the London 2012 Paralympic Games and the National Paralympic Committees around the world are Atos, Samsung and Visa.
LOCOG has sixteen domestic Tier One Partners - Acer, adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, Coca-Cola, Dow, EDF, GE, Lloyds TSB, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic and Procter and Gamble and Sainsbury’s. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are twenty-nine domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Otto Bock, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.
The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.
