It seems like just two minutes ago that we were in Trafalgar Square celebrating International Paralympic Day just after the one year to go mark and already we are here at the six months to go marker until the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

In no time at all, 80,000 of us will be gathered at the Olympic Stadium watching the Opening Ceremony and then hopefully the best Paralympic Games ever.

The last six months of preparation for any Games sees a lot of key things falling into place.

Today will see exciting announcements made about the Paralympic Torch Relay and the Opening Ceremony, both of which will further raise the profile of the Paralympic Games.

I am particularly pleased with the plans for the Paralympic Torch Relay. London 2012 and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have worked closely as a team to develop a concept that will not only capture the attention of the whole country, but also act as a blueprint for Organising Committees of future Games.


Large scale events will be held in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff as well as other communities across the UK and I think it is brilliant that the actual Paralympic Flame, that will be used to light the Cauldron in the Opening Ceremony on August 29, will be created at Stoke Mandeville, a place steeped in Paralympic history.

The Games are coming home in six months time and it is only right that we celebrate the significance of Stoke Mandeville, the Paralympic Movement's birthplace.

From Stoke Mandeville, a total of 580 torch bearers will carry the Paralympic Flame towards Stratford in a 24 hour relay that will be a truly memorable event.

The next few months will also see London stage a number of Paralympic specific test events starting with wheelchair rugby in April before archery, athletics, boccia and wheelchair tennis take centre stage in May.

I think these events are vitally important, not only for giving the athletes and the public an idea of what they can expect come August and September, but they help London 2012 iron out any issues before the start of the Games.


With six months to go athletes - such as Britain's Richard Whitehead, pictured - around the world are also enjoying more publicity than ever before with many featuring in advertising campaigns for a number of big sponsors.

The signs are that this wave of publicity is set to continue, with more global media than ever before looking to attend the Games.

Early indications are that around 2,500 written media and photographers will be in London together with 3,500 staff from radio and television broadcasters.

With a global television audience set to be in excess of four billion, London 2012 is shaping up to be the biggest Paralympic Games ever.

I can hardly wait.

Sir Philip Craven is the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and sits on the London 2012 Board