2009 SU Update: Future Universiade Hosts Present in Athletes’ Village

Albina and her frien Julia from Kazan

Some of the future Universiade hosts are present in the Athletes’ Village with an information office. Smart thinking, as some of their future ‘customers’ are living in the Village.

Present here in Belgrade are Erzurum, the Turkish host of the 2011 Winter Universiade; Shenzhen, the Chinese host for the 2011 Summer Universiade and Kazan, the Russian host for the 2013 Summer Universiade.

Their information, office will stay open until the end of the Universiade, July 12th.

‘People don’t see Turkey as a destination for winter sports’, Tulay Arikan explained to FISU Media. ‘We are present here at the Summer Universiade because a lot of countries are here and we can show the athletes and officials living in the Village more of Erzurum.’ In order to present the town, where the next WU will are to held, Turkish team in charge of Erzurum promotion have brought to Belgrade their official mascot. ‘We are still trying to find the name for the mascot. We have decided that our mascot should be the two-headed eagle because many countries have this symbol on their coat of arms. Also, the two-headed eagle has a symbolic meaning in Turkey – one head is turned eastwards, the other westwards.’

The Chinese city of Shenzhen, the host of the 26th Summer Universiade, has also found a niche for themselves in University Village. According to the PR of Shenzhen Universiade, Tan Bin, they aim at reaching the highest possible standards of organization set by the Beijing Olympic Games last year. Preparations began two years ago, and the only thing left to do is to fine tune every single detail.
‘We are here to learn. Our ambition is to organize a better Universiade than the one in Belgrade. We want it to be successful. We need to have everything ready on time. Shenzhen will get a new stadium, at least two new hotels for officials. Everything will be newly built, especially for the Universiade. Our concept of the Universiade is that it should be a big party full of young people and fun’, said Bin.

Kazan brought 150 volunteers to Belgrade to show what student-athletes and all people of good will can expect to find in the capital of the republic of Tatarstan where the 27th Summer Universiade is to be held in 2013. Like all other future hosts, Kazan wants to promote itself. Kazan is a city with a very rich history. It is a city full of cultural and religious diversity, a city where Russian and Tatar cultures meet. ‘The Kazan Information office in the Village has welcomed a couple of thousand visitors so far’, says Albina, who is one of the hostesses at the info center. The visitors are much interested in our lovely city and ask many questions about Kazan.’

 Tulay Arikan from Erzurum

The Shenzhen Information Office

Shenzhen Staff