Two weeks after the close of the Paris Olympics, British athletes Helen Rainsford and Gregor Evan lit the Paralympic flame on Saturday in Stoke Mandeville, a village northwest of London that is considered the birthplace of the Paralympic Games, The Associated Press reports, UNN reports.
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The fire will travel to France across the English Channel, where it will be carried from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the beaches of the Mediterranean, from the Pyrenees Mountains to the Alps, the statement said.
The 1,000 torchbearers will include former Paralympians, young Paralympians, volunteers from Paralympic federations, innovators in advanced technology support, individuals who dedicate their lives to other people with disabilities, and nonprofit sector employees who support caregivers.
They will carry the flame through 50 cities across the country to attract the attention of communities committed to promoting inclusivity in sports and raising awareness of the lives of people with disabilities.
It is noted that the torch's journey will end on Wednesday in Paris during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games - the ignition of a unique Olympic flame attached to a balloon that will fly over the French capital every evening for 11 days of competition.