2009 SU Update: Ambassadors Visit Universiade Village

Serbian Minister of Youth and Sport, Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, together with ambassadors and consuls from 31 countries, whose athletes will compete at the Universiade Belgrade 2009 visited the Universiade Village.

This Athletes’ Village, a modern, new residential block of buildings (14 buildings with 1,858 apartments) in New Belgrade will become the temporary home to student- athletes from all over the world as of June 25th. During their visit to the Village, the distinguished guests had the opportunity to see for themselves that the athletes will have an excellent accommodation that could spur them on to achieve excellent results.

‘This was an opportunity to show the ambassadors and consuls of the participating countries where their athletes will live during the Universiade, what their daily life would be like and what amenities would be at their disposal’, Serbian Minister of Youth and Sport Snezana Samardzic-Markovic said. ‘I am glad that we were met at the entrance of the Universiade Village by the song “I love to volunteer”. I expect volunteers in Belgrade to impress our guests just like Beijing volunteers did during the Olympic Games in China. One of the aims of the Universiade, apart from good results in athletic competitions, is to reveal a well kept secret: people in Belgrade and Serbia are beautiful. I am sure that we will all be proud of the Universiade.’
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Belgrade, His Excellency Mr. Wei Jinghua, was very satisfied with what he saw in the Athletes’ Village.
‘The Universiade Village is completely ready and prepared to provide athletes with first rate services. They will feel very welcome in Belgrade and will be able to achieve exceptional results. I am sure that the Athletes Village will be a pleasant home away from home for the athletes, but also a chance for the hosts to show their organizational skills and their hospitality. We hope that the Universiade Belgrade organizers will share their experiences in realizing this project with hosts of the Universiade in Shenzhen in 2011′, Ambassador Wei Jinghua added.

Universiade Belgrade 2009 venues director, Ranko Tepavcevic reminded us all that there are only 30 days left until the beginning of the Universiade. ‘The first athletes will arrive in Belgrade on June 24th. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we will do our best to provide adequate accommodation for athletes and officials and to make their stay memorable’, Ranko Tepavcevic said.

Our distinguished guests, ambassadors and consuls, wrote welcoming messages for the Universiade athletes. These messages will wait in the University Village for their arrival.

‘We are very satisfied with we have seen so far. We were interested to see where our delegation and our athletes will be staying. We are impressed with the Athletes’ Village. Athletes will have exceptional accommodation and every possible comfort in these modern buildings. We are very sure that they will have excellent living conditions in Belgrade’, the Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia, His Excellency Mr. Stephen Wordsworth said.
Deputy Chief of Mission of Japan to Serbia, Mr. Teruhiko Shinada could not hide his enthusiasm with the Village. ‘I am impressed how speedily you managed to build the Universiade Village. I informed our national team members that they are very welcome in Belgrade and Serbia’, Teruhiko Shinada said.

Traditionally, athletes from Austria will be among the most numerous at the Universiade.

‘The athletes will be delighted with their accommodation in the Village. That is what I wrote in my message. Here, in Serbia, they will feel right at home. It is well known that people in Belgrade and in Serbia love sport; therefore I am sure that our athletes will enjoy their stay here’, Her Excellency, Ambassador of Austria to Serbia Clare Birgin said.

His Excellency Kamal Faqir Benaissa, Ambassador of Morocco to Serbia spoke about traditional friendship between Serbia and Morocco. ‘I have been ambassador to Serbia for eight years and I can truthfully say that Serbia is my home. Everything we have seen proves that the Universiade is exceptionally well organized and that the athletes will be more than happy here. I am certain that they will feel at home in Belgrade’, the Ambassador said.