2009 SU Update: Athletes’ Village Officially Opened
Yesterday, June 24th, the Athletes’ Village for the Belgrade Universiade was officially opened. The highest authorities of the Organizing Committee were involved in the inauguration.
After cadets from the Military Academy marched in the flag of the host nation and the five-star FISU flag, the invited guests were welcomed by Mr. Bozidar Delic, the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Minister of Science and Technological Development and Chairman to the UB2009 Organizing Committee. Belgrade Mayor Dragan Dilas thanked FISU for its assistance and trust in Belgrade to host the Games.
FISU Secretary-General Eric Saintrond spoke on behalf of FISU. ‘Today is the day the Universiade “takes off”. The moment that we have all been waiting for has finally arrived. During more than 3 weeks, Belgrade will turn into the world capital of university youth’, Mr. Saintrond said.
‘The opening of the Universiade Village is a symbolical moment which announces the arrival of the first delegations. We know the great efforts that the Organizing Committee, the Serbian authorities and the thousands of volunteers have put into making this dream possible’, the FISU SG added. ‘There is no doubt that the 9,000 participants will demonstrate to be great ambassadors of Serbia and of Belgrade within their own country as they will appreciate your hospitality as well as your generosity and great cultural richness and diversity’, Mr. Saintrond shared.
The Universiade Village is the soul of the Games. During 3 weeks, student-athletes from all over the globe will live together in harmony. In the ‘their Village’ they will not speak about politics or religion but about projects for the future of our society. Some 9,000 participants from 150 countries are expected. After the Games the apartments will be sold to the public, leaving a great housing legacy for the people of Belgrade.
The 25th Summer Universiade officially opens on July 1st. More info can be found on www.fisu.net and www.universiade-belgrade2009.org.
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FISU stands for Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (International University Sports Federation), founded in 1949. FISU’s main responsibility is the supervision of both Summer and Winter Universiades as well as the World University Championships. The Universiade is an international sporting and cultural festival which is staged every two years in a different city and which is second in importance only to the Olympic Games.
The Summer Universiade consists of 12 compulsory sports (Athletics – Basketball – Fencing – Football – Artistic & Rhythmic Gymnastics – Swimming – Diving – Water Polo – Tennis – Table Tennis – Judo – Volleyball) and up to three optional sports chosen by the host country. The record figures are 9,006 participants in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2007 and 174 countries in Daegu, Korea in 2003.
The Winter Universiade consists of 7 compulsory sports (Alpine Skiing – Nordic Skiing composed of Ski Jump, Cross Country & Combined – Biathlon – Ice Hockey – Short-Track Speed Skating – Figure Skating – Curling) and one or two optional sports also chosen by the host country. The Winter Universiade gathered a record 2,511 participants in Torino in 2007 and a record number of 50 countries in Innsbruck, Austria in 2005.
The World University Championships are organized every even year in sports which do not figure on the compulsory Universiade program. In 2008, 29 different WUC were staged all over the world.
For more info or pictures, do not hesitate to contact FISU Media department at media@fisu.net or surf to www.fisu.net.