Paralympics 2010 Opening Ceremonies Live Coverage: Vancouver

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The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games Begin In Vancouver

The Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Paralympic Games are set for Friday, March 12, 6 pm PST at the BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, Canada. The Paralympic Games will feature over 500 Paralympic athletes from over 40 countries competing in five sports, including ice sledge hockey, alpine skiing, wheelchair curling, cross-country skiing and biathlon.

• Vancouver Paralympics 2010 Opening Ceremony: Online, TV Schedule

The Opening Ceremonies will not be broadcast live on television. However, the ceremonies will be live streamed online at ParalympicSports.TV.

UPDATE: It is being noted that ParalympicSport.tv live online stream is experiencing technical difficulties.

NowPublic will live blog the Opening Ceremonies as they happen. Check back for more updates.

6:15 Sumi was soaring under the roof of BC Place Stadium

6:18 John Furlong and Governor General Michaelle Jean are summoned. The parade of nations is beginning. Canada is to march last. 

6:30 China is marching. 

6:35 Germany is marching.

6:38 Greece is marching.

6:40 Iran is marching. 

6:50 Russia is marching. 

6:56 Canada is closing the Parade of Nations.

7:05 A crew of disabled dancers gives a magnificent performance.

7:20 Wheelchair artists are giving a rock music performance.

7:35 The Paralympic flag is being escorted on the stadium by the President of the International Paralympic Committee Sir Philip Craven accompanied by VANOC CEO John Furlong:

--"First ever Paralympic Games on Canadian soil."

--"We are the blue jackets."

--(To Paralympians) “From whatever country you have come, we welcome you to Canada, a country with a glowing heart”

--(To Paralympians) “To you 'impossible' is just a word and a distraction”

7:55 Governor General Michaelle Jean declares the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games open.

7:56 The Paralympic Flag is being raised. 

8:02 The floor of the BC Place Stadium blooms with beautiful flower and butterfly images that come alive.

8:10 Young Canadian singer Nikki Yanofsky performs.

8:14 A special tribute for Rick Hansen, Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries.

8:20 Special tribute for Terry Fox presented by Lloyd Robertson.

8:30 The parents of Terry Fox carry the Olympic torch into the stadium.

8:34 The Paralympic flame is lit.

8:36 "Celebrate The Spirit Of The Games" is being sung.

The Opening Ceremonies will be broadcast in Canada by CTV at 2 PM EST on Saturday, March 13. NBC will broadcast the ceremonies in the United States at 1 PM EST on Saturday, March 13, as well.

The Opening Ceremonies are expected to be opened by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada.

The show will involve over 4,000 volunteer performers.

The Paralympic Torch Relay, which began in Ottawa on March 3, will end at the BC Place Stadium where the Paralympic Cauldron will be lit to signal the official start of the X Paralympic Winter Games.

The 2010 Paralympic Games will take place March 12-21. The Royal Canadian Mint produced 399 Paralympic medals.

For the schedule of Paralympic events, see Vancouver 2010 website.

See NowPublic Paralympics 2010 Channel for more stories and photos.

To monitor Internet discussion around the Opening Ceremonies, check out NowPublic Scan for the latest updates and online conversation tracks.