More than 4,000 para-athletes are in Rio for the 2016 Paralympic Games - the first time this event has been held in Latin America.

While sport takes centre-stage for the fortnight, organisers are hoping the Games will also serve as a catalyst for social change in Rio.

Beach for Everyone, a project launched 10 years ago, aims to provide safe access to the beaches for the physically handicapped.

It's co-founder, Ricardo Gonzalez, is optimistic about the effect the Games will have on people's attitudes.

"The Paralympic Games will touch the sensibility of the people," Gonzalez told Al Jazeera.

"To see that people with a disability can do everything, this attitude has to be stimulated. So the Paralympic Games is a great moment."

READ MORE: Rio revamped in run-up to Olympics

Accessibility still remains an issue in Rio with road crossings, public buildings and tourist sites built without giving the disabled much consideration.

"It's getting better, but so many things are made with no thought," said Brazilian para-triathlete Edson Rocha Nascimento.

"Public transportation, for example roads, buses and the metro, are very difficult to access if you are in a wheelchair."

Large amounts of public funds are diverted to building stadiums and broadcasting the Games. But disability expert Ahmed Habib hopes the brief spotlight on disability is worth the huge price tag attached.

"All we can hope is that people are watching the Paralympics at home and they start conversations with their families and their colleagues and realise that their perceptions about disabled people have been wrong all along the way," said Habib.</s>The opening ceremony of All-Russian Paralympic Sports Competitions took place in Moscow on September 7. Minister for Sport Vitaly Mutko and head of the Russian Paralympic Committee Vladimir Lukin took part in the ceremony, the Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote.

"Today's gala event is a tribute to our Paralympians, whose hard work and courage, belief in themselves and their capabilities serve as an inspiring example to all," Vitaly Mutko said, reading Vladimir Putin's address to the Paralympic athletes.

"The Russian team is one of the strongest teams in the world, and I am confident that you will demonstrate your skills, persistence, dedication and determination to victory," the president's address to the Russian athletes said.

Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko expressed his regret about the fact that the Russian Paralympic athletes were suspended from the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "I am sure that these are temporary difficulties, and Russia will soon return to the great Paralympic family - the work on that will be done quickly. The winners will receive the same prizes and awards that they would receive in Rio. We will do our best to develop our Paralympic movement," said Vitaly Mutko.

The head of the Russian Paralympic Committee Vladimir Lukin, said: "It is a pity our athletes are not together with their brothers in spirit. Sport unites athletes from all countries, irrespective of political games and solutions," the official said.

Later, Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko told reporters that he was feeling guilty for the fact that the Russian athletes were excluded from the Paralympic Games in Rio. "We feel guilty and responsible, - said Mutko. - In this situation it is very difficult to say something, because it was all very strange. The court's decision did not have any grounds."

President Putin initiated the organization of the competitions for Russian Paralympic athletes after they were barred from participating in the Paralympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The All-Russian Paralympic Sports Competitions will take place on September 8-9 on major sports venues in the Moscow region. As many as 263 athletes will perform in 18 disciplines.

Read article on the Russian version of Pravda.Ru</s>The best images from the first day’s action of the Paralympic Games in Rio</s>The incredible Rio 2016 Olympics are in the books and now the waiting is over for the Paralympics .

Team GB enjoyed a memorable Games with 27 gold medals and 67 medals in total and the Paralympics team will be aiming for similar success.

Great Britain managed 34 gold medals at London 2012 with 120 medals in total and are aiming for a collection of 121 this summer.

UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl described the target as 'incredibly challenging,' while British Paralympic Games chief Tim Hollingsworth called it an 'ambitious one'.

Hollingsworth added it would be the "most competitive team ever to the most competitive Paralympic Games ever."

Here's a breakdown of all the events and where Team GB are best placed to secure glory.
• What time does the Paralympics opening ceremony start? All you need to know as Team GB prepare for Rio 2016 games

Paralympic fact: Paralympic archer Zahra Nemati was Iran's flag bearer at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

British hopes: John Cavanagh won gold in 2004 in Athens and will be competing in his fifth Games.

Paralympic fact: Wheelchair racers compete at speeds of more than 30 kilometres per hour and the top men can complete a marathon in under one hour 30 minutes.

British hopes: Wheelchair racer David Weir is a six-time Paralympic champion and the team talisman.

Paralympic fact: Boccia, coming from the Latin for ball, is played in 50 countries worldwide.

British hopes: David Smith and Nigel Murray were part of the squad which won team gold in Beijing and bronze in London.

Paralympic fact: The flat water event is new for Rio.

British hopes: Captain Nick Beighton, who was injured serving in Afghanistan in 2009, was fourth in rowing at London 2012 before switching to canoeing.

Paralympic fact: Alex Zanardi, the former motor-racing driver, won London 2012 gold in hand-cycling and celebrated by lifting his bike above his head.

British hopes: Dame Sarah Storey has 11 Paralympic golds and needs one more to succeed wheelchair racer Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as Britain's most successful female Paralympian.

Paralympic fact: Britain have never lost the team event, winning in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

British hopes: Sophie Christiansen won three gold medals at London 2012, while Lee Pearson is a 10-time Paralympic champion.

Paralympic fact: The crowd must be silent so the blind or partially-sighted players (all wearing blackout masks) can hear a noise-making device in the ball.

Paralympic fact: There may have been no British team at the Olympics, but the Paralympic team comprises players from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

British hopes: Jack Rutter, the team captain, was on the verge of signing professional terms with Birmingham before suffering a head injury.

Paralympic fact: The court markings are tactile, enabling the athletes to feel their way around.

British hopes: One of three sports where Britain is not represented in Rio.

Paralympic fact: In the only martial art on the Paralympic programme, the partially-sighted athletes are allowed to have contact with their opponent before each contest begins.

British hopes: Sam Ingram claimed bronze in Beijing and silver in London, where ParalympicsGB secured their best judo medal haul since 1996.

Paralympic fact: Athletes with different disabilities compete for the same medals, with weight the only classifier.

Paralympic fact: Adaptive rowing made its Paralympic debut in the 2008 Games.

British hopes: Tom Aggar won in Beijing but was dejected after missing out on London, having dominated the sport in the intervening years.

Paralympic fact: For greater stability, the yachts used in Paralympic sailing have keels.

British hopes: Helena Lucas was the first Briton selected for either the 2016 Olympic or Paralympic Games.

Paralympic fact: Britain has won medals at every Games in which shooting has been included, since Toronto 1976.

British hopes: Matt Skelhon won gold in Beijing and will have his sights on the target once again.

Paralympic fact: A part of the player's body between their buttocks and shoulders must be in contact with the floor when they hit the ball.

British hopes: No British team after a loss of funding post-London 2012.

British hopes: Ellie Simmonds and Ollie Hynd are established stars bidding to win more gold in Rio.

Paralympic fact: Poland's Natalia Partyka made her Paralympic debut in Sydney aged 11 and has competed in three Olympic Games (Beijing, London and Rio).

British hopes: Will Bayley claimed silver at London 2012 and will be looking to go one better in Rio.

Paralympic fact: Rio will be the sport's first Paralympics.

British hopes: World and European champion Lauren Steadman is competing in her third Paralympics, having made her debut as a swimmer in Beijing aged 15.

Paralympic fact: There is a professional league in Spain where many of the top players ply their trade.

British hopes: The men took bronze in Athens and Beijing and were fourth in London.

Paralympic fact: Athletes compete in wheelchairs fastened to the floor, with the length of the playing area determined by the athlete with the shorter arm reach.

British hopes: Just two, but Piers Gilliver and Dimitri Coutya both have World Championship medals.

Paralympic fact: Commonly known as murderball due to its ferocity, wheelchair rugby is a game played by athletes with a disability affecting both their arms and legs.

British hopes: Britain must upset the established elite to get on the podium but they have some talented individuals.

Paralympic fact: The ball is allowed to bounce twice.

British hopes: Jordanne Whiley and Gordon Reid are Wimbledon champions and will have high hopes for Rio.</s>RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach will not attend any of the Paralympic Games which start in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said.

"He is no longer attending at all and we fully understand how difficult it can be to reschedule a busy diary," said Craig Spence, the IPC's Director of media and communications.

The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday and the Games run from Sept. 7-18. (Reporting by Andrew Downie)</s>Szekeres won a bronze medal in the fencing competition at the 1988 Olympics Seoul. After being injured in a bus accident in 1991 he took up wheelchair fencing and went on to win medals at five different Paralympic Games.</s>According to The Guardian, the goodwill of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Rio was "punctured" with a demonstration of defiance on the part of Belarusian athletes, who carried a Russian flag to express their protest to the International Paralympic Committee.

The author of the article wrote that Belarus ignored the direct prohibition of the International Paralympic Committee and carried the Russian flag during the parade of athletes at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games at Maracana Stadium.

The IPC, The Guardian said, did not like the appearance of the Russian flag, and the "show of defiance" distracted attention from the spectacular opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

The International Business Times also wrote that the "festive spirit of the Rio 2016 Paralympics opening ceremony was dampened by the Belarus team." "Following some wonderful action, performances and fireworks, the mood was soured a little when the Belarus contingent walked into the Maracana Stadium carrying a Russian flag," The IBT wrote.

On 7 September, speaking to reporters, Philip Craven, the head of the IPC, said that the committee was strongly determined to exclude Russian Paralympic athletes from the Rio Games, and the IOC supported the verdict unanimously.

Russia launched its own, All-Russian Paralympic Games in the Moscow region on September 7. "The Russian team is one of the strongest teams in the world, and I am confident that you will demonstrate your skills, persistence, dedication and determination to victory," President Putin said in his written address to the athletes.

On the first day of the All-Russian Paralympics, our athletes have set four world records. Swimmers Anna Krivshina Sergei Sukharev, Andrei Granichka and Roman Zhdanov have shown outstanding results.

The Alternative Paralympic Games for Russian athletes takes place on training bases near Moscow.

Three-time Paralympic champion in athletics Margarita Goncharova set a personal record as she completed the 400 meter-race in T38 category in 1 minute 0.44 seconds. Other winners at this distance were Arina Baranova (T13, 58.45 seconds), Yevgenia Trushnikova (T37, 1.03,74) and Anastasia Solovieva (T47, 59.98).

Four-time Paralympic champion in athletics Alex Ashapatov showed the best result in the shot put in F57 category - 13.47 meters.

Svetlana Krivenok (F33) has updated the world record in this sport with 7.51 meters.

Unfortunately, there was little time to arrange alternative Paralympics properly, and the competitions are held on training bases, rather than sports arenas. The athletes compete in seven sports; in 11 other disciplines, the athletes aspire to results of world championships. For many excluded athletes, the Paralympic Games in Rio were supposed to become their first major sports event. Those people were deprived of their lifetime dream, but no one has given way to despair.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has decided to revoke the accreditation from the member of the Belarusian delegation, who carried the Russian flag at the opening of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Noteworthy, President of the Russian Paralympic Committee Vladimir Lukin, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko and President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov expressed their support and gratitude to the Belarusian official, who had the courage to appear on the stadium in Rio carrying a Russian flag.

Earlier, the head of the Paralympic Committee of Belarus, Oleg Shepel, said that Belarusian athletes were ready to carry the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics in solidarity with Russian colleagues.

On August 7, the International Paralympic Committee disqualified the Russian Paralympic Committee, having excluded all Russian athletes from international competitions.

Read article on the Russian version of Pravda.Ru</s>The XV Paralympic Games opens at the Maracana Stadium with a carnival atmosphere

The After Party has begun. The XV Paralympic Games in Rio opened at the Maracana Stadium with a carnival atmosphere on Wednesday.

Seventeen days after the Olympics closed, with the Paralympics embroiled in the worst build-up in its 56-year history, Brazil belatedly got into the Paralympic mood.

London 2012 was declared a triumph of the human spirit; Paralympic competitors considered sports stars first and foremost.

It was hoped to be a watershed moment for the Paralympic movement. But the incompetence of Rio's organising committee - using Paralympic funds as contingency for the Olympics - left the Games feeling like an afterthought.

Despite the slow uptake of tickets, 1459 days since the London Paralympics closed on September 9, 2012, the 78,000-seat Maracana was full on Brazil's Independence Day.

Paralympians describe the Olympics as the warm-up; their own inspiring festival as the After Party.

And Rio, Brazil and the world must prepare to be amazed over the next 11 days.

More than 4300 athletes from 159 nations, plus two refugees in an independent team, are prepared to perform to the peak of their physical capabilities and change perceptions of what is possible.

It is the biggest Paralympics yet - in terms of athletes participating - and the greatest performances are expected to take place in Rio.

Remember the names. Brazilians will cheer swimmer Daniel Dias, athletes Alan Oliveira and Terezinha Guilhermina.

American Tatyana McFadden will go for seven gold medals and others will emerge.

In Britain alone there is wheelchair racer David Weir, swimmers Ellie Simmonds and Ollie Hynd and cyclist Dame Sarah Storey, who will bid to surpass Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as the British female with the most Paralympic gold medals on Thursday's opening day.

Lee Pearson led ParalympicsGB into the arena as part of a show with a central theme of "Everybody has a heart".

The 10-time equestrian gold medallist was chosen by his 263 fellow athletes, who are aiming to surpass their London 2012 total by winning 121 medals over 11 days of competition.

Second place on the medal table - behind China - is also the target. Russia's absence helps.

With its stance in the wake of revelations of state-sponsored doping in Russia, the International Paralympic Committee and its president Sir Philip Craven showed the leadership and stance the International Olympic Committee did not. Principled. Honest. And spirited.</s>Members of the delegation of Greece enjoy themselves during the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, late on Wednesday. Greece’s Paralympic team comprises 59 athletes – 43 men and 16 women – who are to compete in a total of 12 sports: wheelchair tennis, weight lifting, sailing, swimming, boccia, wheelchair fencing, cycling, shooting, track events, judo, archery and paracanoeing. The Rio Paralympics started on Thursday with swimming, track events and track cycling. They are to run through September 18. [Mauro Pimentel/AP]</s>RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach will not attend any of the Paralympic Games starting in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said.

Bach had already said he would miss Wednesday's opening ceremony to remain in Germany for the funeral of his friend Walter Scheel, the former West German foreign minister and deputy chancellor who died last month aged 97.

But officials said he was now unable to reschedule other commitments and will be unable to travel to Brazil after the funeral.

"President Bach was planning to attend the Opening Ceremony and first day of competition but can no longer attend due to a State funeral in Germany," Craig Spence, the IPC's Director of media and communications, said in a statement.

"We fully understand that he cannot reschedule other long standing engagements to attend the Games here at a later date. The IOC is the IPC's number one strategic partner and we thank them, and President Bach, for their continued support."

The IPC did not say what the long-standing engagements were.

"The fact that he can't come is unfortunately a fact of life and shows how busy these presidents and officials are," Spence told Reuters in a telephone call. "We don't see it as a snub at all."

Rio was awarded the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games and Paralympics in 2009.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Maracana stadium on Wednesday night and the Games run from Sept. 7-18. (Reporting by Andrew Downie, editing by Ed Osmond)
The 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, i.e., (parallel Olympic Games), open in Rio de Janeiro.