SAMARA – ‘The Universiade in Your City!’ train arrived in Samara. For one day, the city turned into a venue for youth events, meetings of students and official meetings aimed to promote the 2013 Summer Universiade and development of partnership between Samara and Tatarstan. At the railway station, the Kazan 2013 delegates received a warm welcome from volunteers, students of Samara State University with Rector Igor Noskov at the head, as well as Samara Region’s youth and sports ministry officials.
In his welcome speech to the guests, Rector Igor Noskov stressed the importance of the FISU Flag Relay for the whole Russian youth. «We feel pride and envy touched with admiration towards you, as to the city, awarded the right to stage the World University Games. We would like to thank you for being generous and including us in your team. I’m confident that the youth of Samara will be able to make a decent contribution to the preparations and delivery of the Universiade in Kazan and share the Russian national team’s triumph at the 2013 Universiade in Kazan,» Igor Noskov said.
Following the protocol, Larisa Sulima, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, thanked Samara citizens for a hospitable welcome; while leaders of the Creative Youth Academy of Youth of Tatarstan and the Tatarstan Student League, Alsu Valeeva and Dinar Bariev, handed a hundredweight of salt, a symbol of overcoming obstacles, and chak-chak, a traditional Tatar dessert, to the activists of the Samara Region. «We brought a unique historical relic in your city, a relic that for dozens of years has been energized with spirit of youth and sports. Today the flag will be charged with your drive and enthusiasm which will allow us to create a unique atmosphere at the 2013 Summer Universiade inKazan», Larisa Sulima said.
After events held at the train station, the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate headed toSamaraStateUniversitywhere the official ceremony of signing a cooperation agreement between the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate and Samara State University took place.
The FISU Flag Relay’s program in Samara ended with the ceremony of the FISU Flag replica handover and a concert featuring best Tatarstan and Samara Region bands in the city’s Lokomotiv Stadium. Kristina Rumyantseva, a silver medallist of the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, was selected to be appointed as Kazan 2013 Ambassador. Kristina received credentials from Kazan 2013 delegates and officials of the Samara Region.
The Gaudeamus Igitur was played, and the FISU Flag replica with the name of the city of Samara on it was carried in the stadium and handed over to the rector of Samara State University and Kristina Rumyantseva, the newly elected Kazan 2013 Ambassador. Following the official ceremony, the Lokomotiv Stadium hosted an amazing concert where best student bands of the Samara Region and Tatarstan made their appearances. The concert culminated in a gig, presented by the Matrekha band, which previously performed in Orenburg, and by the Murakami rock band from Tatarstan.
As Larisa Sulima, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, mentioned afterwards, «in each city we visit on the route of the FISU Flag Relay we see a fully-featured complete show, that boasts a cultural and conceptual diversity. Each concert that we’ve already seen in the regions of the Volga Federal District may become part of the Cultural Universiade program. Thanks to the FISU Flag Relay, we have a unique opportunity to discover most talented young people from all over Russia and to invite them to create an unmatched and hospitable atmosphere at the Games in 2013. »
(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)
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