2008 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony

Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, right, attends the opening ceremony for the Beijing Paralympic Games.  (Ng Han Guan / Associated Press)

A performer floats over the audience at the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.  (Elizabeth Dalziel / Associated Press)

Artists perform at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium.  (Chien-min Chung / Getty Images)

An artist performs during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium.  (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Chinese children perform during the opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games at the National Stadium.  (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)

Young perfomers at the National Stadium, also known as the Birds Nest, during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.  (Diego Azubel / EPA)

Performers holding fireworks shooting sparks perform during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium in Beijing.  (Mark Kolbe / Getty Images)

Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games at the National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest”, in Beijing.  (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)

Blind pianist Jin Yuanhui plays a white grand piano during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium in Beijing.  (Mark Kolbe / Getty Images)

Athletes from France parade at the National Stadium during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.  (Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images)

Athletes from Greece parade during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games at the National Stadium in Beijing.  (Greg Baker / Associated Press)

Mexican athletes pose during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.  (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Members of the Iraq paralympic team takes part in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games in Beijing.  (Ng Han Guan / Associated Press)

Chinese torchbearer Wu Yunhua and Zhao Hongwei pass on the Paralympic flame during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium in Beijing.  (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Chinese Paralympic athlete Hou Bin lifts himself to the main torch lighting during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium in Beijing.  (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Children injured in the Sichuan earthquake watch the live broadcast of the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games at Sichuan Province Orthopedic Center in Chengdu, China.  (China Photos / Getty Images)