With an assist from Paul McCartney the Paralympic Games starts its 100-day race on Monday to the opening ceremony in Paris in August.

The former Beatle has let B次元官网网址淲e All Stand TogetherB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� the signature tune from an award-winning animated film he wrote and produced 40 years ago B次元官网网址� be used in a promotional film for the International Paralympic Committee.

B次元官网网址淪ir Paul really understands what we stand for as a movement and he was so generous to us,B次元官网网址� IPC president Andrew Parsons told The Associated Press. B次元官网网址淗e was not difficult to convince, it was something that came very naturally.B次元官网网址�

In 100 days from Monday, the Summer Paralympics opening ceremony on Aug. 28 will play out along a section of the Champs-脡lys茅es and Place de la Concorde. The 4,400 athletes taking part will compete over the following 11 days watched by up to 2.7 million spectators in venues including ones beneath the Eiffel Tower and at Versailles Palace.

B次元官网网址淲e have probably the most famous avenue in the world,B次元官网网址� Parsons said in a recent interview. B次元官网网址淭hat is really exciting. The city is really embracing Paralympic athletes, athletes with disabilities.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲ith our games we talk a lot about inclusion and itB次元官网网址檚 a good symbol of that. That very welcoming attitude is I think a very good start to our games.B次元官网网址�

A turning point for the Paralympic movement came in London in 2012 when the host country rose to the occasion with huge ticket sales and a radically fresh approach to broadcasting it by BritainB次元官网网址檚 Channel 4.

B次元官网网址淪till the benchmark games of our movement,B次元官网网址� said Parsons, whose home nation Brazil hosted in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

To promote those Rio Paralympics, Channel 4 produced the B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e the SuperhumansB次元官网网址� musical film that was a landmark of high-production values and inspirational images.

B次元官网网址淢any broadcasters come to us in their preparations in different parts of the world and they normally ask, B次元官网网址榃hat is Channel 4 doing?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Parsons said. The IPCB次元官网网址檚 trailer inspired by McCartneyB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淩upert and the Frog SongB次元官网网址� film is in that tradition.

The Paris Paralympics will have a record 164 broadcasters worldwide covering 549 events across 22 sports.

Beyond the field of play, the Paralympics has the aim B次元官网网址� and past achievements B次元官网网址� of changing society, especially in the host nation.

In France and Paris, Parsons, acknowledged, B次元官网网址渢here still is a lot of work to do when it comes to the mindset of the people and their perceptions of persons with disability.

B次元官网网址淚t has progressed since they got the games in 2017 but still there is a long way to go. And it doesnB次元官网网址檛 finish with the closing ceremony.B次元官网网址�

Two weeks after the Paralympics close on Sept. 8 the United Nations hosts a global meeting Parsons hopes can drive change.

At the Summit of the Future on Sept. 22-23 the UN will measure progress towards its 17 sustainable development goals.

B次元官网网址淲e do believe our movement has, in terms of persons of disability been a little bit left behind, if you compare to other human rights movements such as gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity,B次元官网网址� Parsons said. B次元官网网址淭hey have been more preeminent in the big debates at the highest possible level.

B次元官网网址淲e believe that these (Paris) games will be able to really remind global leaders that there is 1.2 billion persons with disabilities out there that need to be included in those conversations.B次元官网网址�

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Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press