Kazan Universiade; The next door to Olympic Games for Student Athletes

The Summer Universiade 2013 opening and closing ceremonies were held on the 6th and 17th July 2013 respectively in the most beautiful and attractive city of Russia. The Kazan is a World Heritage Site. A multi-ethnic city, famous for Muslims and Christians living side-by-side in peace. There is a famous Mosque by Qul Shareef which is near to the Universiade village. This Mosque is an example of outstanding architectural and rich Muslims Traditions.

The word Universiade it’s an Italian word and its meaning is “Unity of Universities”.

We congratulate  the FISU (International University Sports Federation) for their good decision to select a great place for big games and Kazan Universiade proved that now they are able to host any great event in the Kazan city like world Olympics in future. KU was not a small event as 162 countries had participated in 27 different sports competing for 351 sets of Medals. Russian athletes proved their skills and they were top on the medal table with 292 medals. The Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the athletes who had won medals at the Summer Universiade in Kazan. "I congratulate you on a convincing victory of the Russian student team at the Summer Universiade in Kazan," Putin said at a meeting with the winners of the 2013 Summer Universiade on July 19. China hold 2^nd position with 77 medals including 26 gold medals and Japan hold 3^rd position with 84 medals out of which 24 were gold medals. Higher Education commission of Pakistan had also sent 27 athletes in  different games in Kazan Universiade but they return without any medal, I hope HEC will do better in next time. Each victory ceremony of the 27^th Summer Universiade was a bright and spectacular show.

Now I will tell you about great facts about this event. Universiade Avenue to appear in Kazan! A new street which joins Esperanto Street and the Universiade Village will be named Universiade Avenue in the recognition of the recently completed the 27th Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan. This road was built in the build-up to the World University Games.

One unique place different from all other facilities worked in the Universiade Village during the competition days. The participants of the Games, as well as coaches, members of the delegations, the organizers, staff and guests could experience there calmness and peacefulness, they could tune in the right mood, or just relax that was different to their rhythm and intensity of struggle. It is the center of religion. It is a large area of more than one thousand square meters with six spacious rooms, each of which is not just a room for religious rituals, but a real small Mosque, and their availability of Holy Qur’an so Muslims can spend their best month of Ramzan ul Mubarak (month of fasting) in Universiade Village, church, sanctified, designed in a special style and interior, full of symbolism and miracles. Lists of the icons in the Orthodox Hall, singing bowls in the room of the Buddhists.

The transport sector of 27th World University Summer Games in Kazan organized work on high level. There were some complaints, but urban services were able to respond to all of them in a timely manner. Aydar Abdulhakov, Chairman of the Transport Committee, said that from June 20 to July 20, more than 4 million passengers travelled free on all forms of public transport in Kazan.

No event will be successful without the Media coverage so for this purpose administration choose RIA Novosti as  a host agency of the 27th Summer Universiade 2013 and which sent the biggest in the history of the World University Games team of journalists to Kazan. Universiade administration used all types of media to promote their event in the world especially social media.

All the game venues were full of the people during whole games you can guess the games important in Russia about ticketing statistics. 85 % of tickets to the Summer Universiade sold! The ticketing program has sold over 613,000 tickets. On the 10th of June, 33,000 tickets to the Kazan Universiade events were sold in the city’s ticket offices. There were 35 sales offices where one can buy a ticket for a sport event. So that there are no empty stands ,field managers watch how many places are not taken and 40 minutes before the competition they allow spectators who are near the venue and eager to get in fulfill the empty seats.

In the Universiade 2013 the best thing was their volunteers who made it beautiful and attractive I personally very appreciated all the volunteers of Kazan Universiade. 20,000 volunteers from 35 regions of Russia and 24 countries serve as volunteer. Kazan 2013 volunteers’ slogan was “Make U real” reflects the importance of each volunteer in holding large-scale sports event and a huge amount of opportunities that the Universiade 2013 offers to all the participants. The assistance of Kazan 2013 volunteers were help stage the World University Games at the highest level, and each of 13,500 participants and more than 100,000 tourists from all over the world will enjoy the comfort of modern hospitable city. They have done it very well. It`s all due to the good management of Alessandro Karpone the Director of the Department for volunteers  and especially we have to appreciate  the Anna Feldman Head of training volunteers who trained all volunteers very well. We also appreciated the Tatyana Nikulina Head of recruiting volunteers, She had choose good 20,000 volunteers by proper way , interview and vice versa.

FISU delegation presented the flag of FISU for next Universiade venue to the Mayor of Gwangju,  (South Korea ) Kang Un-Tae during closing ceremony of 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan. Although the Universiade finished, but it`s memories will stay in our hearts forever.