Around 4,000 athletes will gather at the Bird's Nest in Beijing tonight for the opening ceremony of the biggest Paralympic Games in history.

The opening ceremony, which will be held at the National Stadium, begins at 8pm tonight and is scheduled to last almost three hours. It will feature performances by 6,000 performers, some of whom are disabled.

China will have a contingent of 332 athletes in competition, the largest team it has fielded in the six times it participated in the Paralympic Games. In 2004, China topped the medals tally with 63 gold medals.

In preparation for the Paralympics, Beijing has set in place a number of measures to ensure that those taking part in the Games have access to public places. From ensuring that subway stations have wheelchair ramps to Beijing duck restaurants offering menus in braille, the city is out to prove that it is ready for the Paralympics.

The Paralympics will take place from September 6 to 17.