The Mayor was presented with the Order by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board member Rita Van Driel at the National Paralympic Day celebrations on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to mark the one year anniversary of what are widely considered as the biggest and best Games to date.

"It was an immense privilege for London to host a sell-out Paralympic Games and in many ways it surpassed the success of the preceding Olympics," said the Mayor upon receiving the honour.

"One year on from the London Paralympics, I am more determined than ever to
harness the magic of the event to make London a more accessible and inclusive city.

"I am honoured to accept this award in recognition of the army of dedicated Londoners that made these inspirational Games a resounding triumph, raising the bar for future host cities."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson was in attendance at the National Paralympic Day celebrations on the Queen Elizabeth Park today where he received the Order

Van Driel paid tribute to the Mayor's contributions towards the successful hosting of the Games.

"Boris Johnson helped regenerate part of the city in time for the Games and made London more accessible," she said.

"He ensured Londoners were fully aware their city was staging not one, but two major sporting events, acted a great cheerleader for Paralympics GB and showed that when it comes to playing wheelchair tennis he's quite a player.

"I think it is testament to his leadership that not only did the Paralympics change attitudes and perceptions of disability but they also helped change the world's attitudes and perceptions of London for the better too."

A record 4,237 athletes from 164 nations competed at the Paralympics in London, with records also broken in ticket sales, with 2.8 million sold in total.

There were also best-ever coverage figures, with pictures broadcast in 115 countries worldwide and with a cumulative total of 3.8 billion viewers.

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