#4 Internet users to send hashtags to light up Paralympic Torch on epic relay around Brazil
The Paralympic Torch relay will begin on Thursday (1st September) and will visit five cities in Brazil before arriving in Rio de Janeiro for the Opening ceremony. The design of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Torch closely follows the shape of the Olympic Torch but there are some differences in both. The Paralympic Torch relay will represent an innovative variation on the route of the Olympic relay.
The Torch will have five flames along with an additional flame that will be lit this week in the small British town of Stoke Mandeville which is the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. The Games will see all come together in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (6 September) where it will be prepared for the opening ceremony in the Maracanã stadium.
The interesting feature of the relay is that it will harness the power of modern communication technologies to share the magic of the torch with Brazil and the world. The internet users throughout the world will play a major part in this.
The Games will see each city have hashtags related to Paralympic and Rio 2016 sent by social media users from around the world being used to 'light' the flame virtually: in Brasília, equality; in Belém, determination; in Natal, inspiration; in São Paulo, transformation; and in Joinville, courage.
It is going to be the first and one of a kind torch relay and the value which will be used to light the torch in Rio de Janeiro will be ‘passion’. To participate in the relay, internet users will need to post a message with the official hashtag and the hashtag of the value for the city that day: for example, #ParalympicFlame and #equality.
