Olympic Cauldron

What was the meaning behind the design of the Olympic Cauldron?

What was different about the lighting of the cauldron to the way it is usually done?

Who normally lights the cauldron?

The London Olympic cauldron is an elaborate creation involving 204 moving pieces, each representing the coming together of the competing countries.

Petal-shaped heat elements made from hammered copper were created for each country and then carried into the stadium by children during the parade of countries.

Normally, one person significant to the host country does the honor. This time, with the unique design, seven youngsters held torches to light it simultaneously, something no one could have predicted.

Unlike other recent Olympic host cities, which traditionally have displayed the flame atop the main stadium, the London cauldron will remain inside the stadium in keeping with the 1948 London Olympic games.

From the time the torch was placed on the first petal, it took 45 seconds for each copper element to ignite, prompting the cauldron to rise from the ground, ultimately drawing each of the petals together at a height of about 28 feet.

What's you opinion about how this was done?