The event in Zimbabwe saw around 200 people gather at the Magamba Hockey Arena in a move designed to raise awareness for Zimbabwe's participation in the upcoming 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, as well as their participation at London 2012.

Activities for the day included a kilometre fun run, while members of Zimbabwe's National Paralympic teams engaged in friendly matches and exhibitions with participants from the public.

The celebration is first public event organised by the ZPC, which was formed in 2009 under the national Sports and Recreation Commission.

"We are a young organisation, but we are encouraged by the progress we have made in such a short time," said secretary general for ZPC Lewis Garaba.

"This event is a testament to that progress and tells us that we need to keep pushing the Paralympic Movement forward."

The US Embassy are a sponsor of ZPC and helped stage the event, although the gathering in Zimbabwe was only a fraction of the scale that is expected when International Paralympic Day itself takes place in London.

The event at Trafalgar Square will give the public a chance to find out about each of the 20 sports that will take place at London 2012 Paralympics.

There will be demonstrations from a wide range of sports, including wheelchair basketball, powerlifting, sitting volleyball and wheelchair rugby, while some of the world's top Paralympic stars, including four-time South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius.

Five of London 2012's sponsors have been announced as official supporters of International Paralympic Day with BT, Cadbury, Deloitte, Sainsbury's and Samsung all providing funding and expertise for key elements of the event.

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