The London 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony looks to the skies
Paralympians soared through the air above the 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium while Hawking, the world’s most famous living scientist, urged people to look to the stars for inspiration.
In a spectacular finish, a British marine who lost both his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan brought the flame into the stadium on a zip wire from the Orbit tower.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II declared the Games open after a joyous athletes’ parade that saw competitors from a record 165 nations take their bow.
The show began with a spectacular flypast as a plane, lit electric blue and trailing golden sparks from its wings, circled overhead.
British theoretical physicist Hawking, paralysed and in a wheelchair much of his life due to a rare form of motor neuron disease, kicked off the show by speaking of the challenge of working out how the universe works.
"Ever since the dawn of civilisation, people have craved for an understanding of the underlying order of the world. Why it is as it is, and why it exists at all."
The umbrella was used as a motif throughout the show, in a light-hearted nod to Britain’s gloomy weather.
A glowing, celestial sphere descended into the middle of a giant central umbrella, igniting the "Big Bang" signifying the creation of the universe. Some 600 performers with umbrellas that lit up radiated out from the centre.
The ceremony’s artistic directors Bradley Hemmings and Jenny Sealey said their show was a tribute to human endeavour.
"We hope that you will join with us in celebrating the empowering possibilities of ideas, science and creativity, through which we can realise our full potential: who we are and who we aspire to be," they said.
Led by the three competitors from Afghanistan, the athletes’ paraded to a soundtrack mixed by three local disc jockeys.
Each country’s name was written atop an umbrella in the London Underground font.
Every nation was given a warm reception, something that was a feature of the Olympics just a few weeks ago.
Taking pictures and waving to the crowd, some on crutches, others in wheelchairs pushed by their team-mates, the athletes revelled in the moment.
The Mexicans, wearing sombreros and colourful woollen ponchos, shook their rattles, while Belgian sprinter Marieke Vervoort had her labrador Zenn upright on her lap.
The Ghanaian delegation danced their way round, while the North Koreans looked overjoyed as they waved their national flag.
Great Britain were welcomed in last with a deafening roar, David Bowie’s "Heroes", and a blast of gold and silver ticker tape.
London Games chairman Sebastian Coe said: "It is my great honour to say welcome home to the Paralympic Games," as the event turned to its ceremonial conclusion.
"Everything sport stands for, we’re going to see right here, right now.
"These will be Games to remember.
"Prepare to be inspired; prepare to be dazzled; prepare to be moved by the Paralympic Games of London 2012," he said.
Queen Elizabeth, who was joined by her grandson Prince William, his wife Catherine and other senior royals, then declared the Games open, heralding the start of 11 days of Paralympic sport.
"What can be more special than that there is no boundary?" asked Hawking.
"There should be no boundary to human endeavour."
In tribute to Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity, the spectators simultaneously crunched into apples.
After the flame’s dramatic entrance, the cauldron was lit by 84-year-old Margaret Maughan, Britain’s first gold medallist from the inaugural 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome.
Singer Beverley Knight closed the show with a rendition of "I Am What I Am" as fireworks exploded across the Olympic Park.
NEWS FEED
Police arrest dozens in demonstration at Art Institute of Chicago, including students
Russian President Putin attends Easter service at Christ the Savior Cathedral
Azerbaijani FM meets with Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia
Hamas agrees to release 33 hostages in first phase
Russian air defenses shoot down Ukrainian drone over Belgorod Region - Defense Ministry
Azerbaijan, Gambia abolish visa regime for diplomatic passport holders
Real Madrid crowned champions of La Liga for the 36th
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister met with OIC Director General for Food Safety
Azerbaijan, Pakistan discussed bilateral relations-PHOTO
Azerbaijan to host 16th Islamic Summit of OIC
Azerbaijani FM met with counterpart from Bangladesh-PHOTO
OIC calls on Armenia to fulfill its obligations
Azerbaijani FM made a speech in OIC Summit
Azerbaijan, Somalia discuss mutual cooperation issues-PHOTO
Azerbaijan, Morocco abolish visa regime-PHOTO
Azerbaijani FM discusses bilateral cooperation with Moroccan counterpart-PHOTO
Ukrainian MFA comments on Russian reports of putting Zelenskyy on wanted list
London mayor election: Sadiq Khan clinches historic third term
Jeyhun Bayramov discussed Azerbaijani-Turkish allied relationships with Hakan Fidan-UPDATED
Russia adds Ukrainian leader to its wanted list
EC's Gert Jan Koopman got acquainted with demining process in Azerbaijan's Aghdam-PHOTO
Russian Internal Affairs Ministry puts Zelenskyy and Poroshenko on wanted list-PHOTO-UPDATED
Vietnam police arrest former head of government office
Magnitude 3.1 quake hits Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district
Armenian Tavush movement announces march to Yerevan against delimitation with Azerbaijan-VIDEO
Azerbaijani MFA shares post on cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO
Mutually beneficial partnership has been established between Azerbaijan and NATO- Javier Colomina
Landslides, floods sweep Indonesia’s South Sulawesi, killing 15 people
COP29 Organizing Committee holds its 3rd meeting-PHOTO
Death toll in Gaza exceeds 34,600
Azerbaijan eliminates double taxation on income with Türkiye
Azerbaijan establishes Khankandi City Attorney's Office
US-based Stirling Foundation to provide financial assistance regarding with mine threat in Azerbaijan
Kazakh President to pay a visit to Russian Federation
French economy minister crashes into a cyclist after running a red light
Norwegian traveler: Accurate mine maps should be submitted to Azerbaijan
Türkiye's Parliamentary Committee Chair discusses Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process in Washington
International travelers watched process of neutralizing mines in Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil -UPDATED-VIDEO
Norwegian traveler: I saw how fast infrastructure was restored in Garabagh after destruction
EU, Azerbaijan mull development of the Middle Corridor
Georgia is on the verge of chaos again - Will the West achieve the next 'color revolution'?"-ANALYTICS
Hamas is the only thing standing between Gaza and ceasefire: Antony Blinken
Azerbaijan unveils amount of ammunition found in Khankandi in last week
Price of Azerbaijan oil drops
Russian drones injure 6 in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Dnipro regions
Coexistence of Palestine, Israel is possible — Blinken
Main indexes of world stocks
Oil price drops below USD 83 in world markets
New Zealand signs MOU with German institute on Antarctica cooperation
Foreign travelers visited Khudafarin bridge in Azerbaijan