NPCs receive piece of London 2012 cauldron
All 164 nations that participated in the London 2012 Games will received a handmade copper petal from the Paralympic cauldron. 08 Nov 2012
The London 2012 cauldron which will be distributed to the 164 nations that participated in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
"LOCOG put on a superb Paralympic Games and we are grateful for all that they did to advance the Paralympic movement here in the UK. We will treasure the petal as a reminder of the fantastic 10 days that saw the Paralympic Games come home and the nation take ParalympicsGB to their hearts."
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) commenced the distribution programme of the handmade copper petals from the London 2012 cauldron on Wednesday (7 November).
Designed by Brit Thomas Heatherwick, the London 2012 cauldron represented every participating nation through a series of handmade copper elements, known as “petals,” with one created for every country taking part in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Each National Olympic and Paralympic Committee will receive their copper piece by the end of the year.
Heatherwick Studio’s vision was that there would not be a large cauldron left after the 2012 Games. Instead, each of the copper petals was to be offered to each country as a memento of their incredible sporting achievements.
During the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, the 164 petals representing each nation were pre-set before the parade of nations and prior to the spectacular cauldron lighting sequence.
Over the last three months, the company Stage One, which manufactured the cauldron, has cleaned up the petals under the guidance of Heatherwick Studio.
Each petal is housed in a beautiful presentation box, also designed by Heatherwick Studio. The first petal to be presented by LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe was to the British Olympic Association (BOA), and following that LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton presented Tim Reddish of the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with their petal.
The second set of petals to be delivered will be to Brazil and they will be presented during the forthcoming knowledge transfer debrief organised by the Rio de Janeiro Organising Committee in mid-November, when LOCOG representatives will pass on their learnings to future host and candidate cities.
London Mayor Boris Johnson will hand deliver the third set of petals to Indian representatives during his visit to the country on a tour to promote London at the end of November. The other competing nations will receive their petals from that point onwards and before the end of the year.
“To receive this petal from Paul Deighton in front of our National Paralympic Committee is a fitting end to a wonderful summer of sport,” BPA Chairman Tim Reddish said.
“LOCOG put on a superb Paralympic Games and we are grateful for all that they did to advance the Paralympic movement here in the UK. We will treasure the petal as a reminder of the fantastic 10 days that saw the Paralympic Games come home and the nation take ParalympicsGB to their hearts.’
Related Images
The first British Paralympic Gold medal winner lights the Cauldron at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony.
