BEIJING -- Five newly-elected members of the Athletes' Council of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) presented flower bouquets to 12 volunteers of the Beijing 2008 Paralympics at the Games' closing ceremony on Wednesday night.

Volunteer representatives of the Beijing 2008 Paralympics wave on the podium after they are presented flower bouquets at the Games' closing ceremony on Wednesday night. [Xinhua]

The 12 represented some 44,000 volunteers working at the Games venues and more than 1.4 million others who helped the host city in security, transport, information and lodging services.