Among those who attended the event were Britain's Sir Philip Craven, the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC); Alexander Zhukov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia; Dmitry Chernyshenko, the President and chief executive of Sochi 2014; Yury Luzhkov, the Mayor of Moscow; and Vladimir Lukin, Russian Federation Commissioner for Human Rights and President of the Russian Paralympic Committee.

The new emblem for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games follows the same typography as the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games emblem unveiled to the world earlier this month, and incorporates the Paralympic symbol, the three Agitos in red, blue and green, symbolizing the fact that Paralympic athletes are constantly inspiring and exciting the world with their performances - always moving forward and never giving up, Russian officials said.
 
The digital nature of the emblem - with Russia's web domain address .ru - will help the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and its stakeholders to reach out around the world to new and younger audiences, they said.

Chernyshenko said: "The new Sochi 2014 Paralympic brand and emblem will act as a gateway to the future of the Paralympic Movement in Russia.

"As well as by participating in major events such as Paralympic Winter Day, by leveraging the massive rise in social networking through sites such as Facebook and Twitter, Sochi 2014 can be the catalyst for greater awareness, networking and sharing of information about values of the Paralympic Movement within the Russian digital space.

"In particular, we believe this will bring enhanced opportunities for integration with IPC content on platforms like YouTube and ParalympicSport.TV."

"As a result, Russia will become more aware of people with a disability and their achievements and in turn Russia will become more accessible.

"The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games brand will allow the IPC and the Russian Paralympic Committee to drive change in Russian society and create a global best practice model for the future."

The International Paralympic Winter Day was opened by Zhukov.

Sir Philip (pictured) said: "The Paralympic Movement has come a long way, and today the athletes are ready to show all spectators here on Red Square, just what they are made of.

"We, at the International Paralympic Committee constantly portray our four values of Courage, Determination, Inspiration, and Equality.

"Today we will see where they come from, and the impact that they just might have on everyone.

"It is not only for the athletes to show - everyone has the chance to test their own skills throughout the day.

"I hope that the celebration of Paralympic Winter Day will become a tradition in Russia and a further catalyst for positive change in the country."

Throughout the day, visitors to Red Square were able to discover more about the Paralympic Movement and its history, and had the chance to experience what the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will be like, in a special exhibition pavilion with interactive sports' presentation.

Interactive exhibits showcased plans to create a barrier-free environment for the 2014 Games, and presented cutting-edge technological innovations designed to improve life for the 13 million people in Russia living with a disability.

There were also performances by speed skaters, Russian popstars and figure-skaters, as well as an ice sledge hockey match.

Chernyshenko said: "Today is a historic day.

"International Paralympic Winter Day demonstrates our commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for 13 millions of people in Russia living with a disability.

"Achieving this will require a combination of the correct attitude and the correct infrastructure, and Sochi 2014 is working tirelessly to provide a showcase of both for the benefit of the region, Russia, and the world."


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