Original artwork, not a still
Look up at the stars and not down at your feet.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A man who could not move his body asked a stadium to lift its eyes from the ground to the cosmos. The line turns disability into a vantage point rather than a limit, which is why sports bodies, schools and charities quoted it at once. It also compresses his whole career: stay curious, and try to understand what is in front of you.
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In context
May contain spoilersShow the scene
Stephen Hawking spoke these words in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, held in the Olympic Stadium on 29 August 2012. The ceremony was titled "Enlightenment" and built around reason and rights. Hawking appeared on a "moon stage" and called for a new age of enlightenment, guiding the audience of about 62,000 through the discoveries that changed how people see the universe. Alongside the stars line he urged people to make sense of what they see and to be curious.
Sources (3)
- IPC: London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening CeremonyHawking sectionReference checked
- SA News Agency: London Paralympics open in journey of discoveryarticle bodyReference checked
- Science in the Net: Stephen Hawking at the opening ceremonyexcerptReference checked
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