2013 SU Update: Claude-Louis Gallien: ‘There are Miracles happening in Kazan’

FISU 1st Vice-President Gallien

KAZAN – With the International Conference in full swing, FISU 1st Vice-President Claude-Louis Gallien agreed to talk to kazan2013.com and share his impression of what he saw in the host city of the future World University Summer Games.

«It’s not my first-time visit toKazan. However, each time I come here, I admire the dynamic changes and progress that the city and its citizens experience. If a year ago I was sincerely astounded with the construction progress and high quality of the venues, now I’m happy to see that these facilities are fully operational.Kazanis a unique city in this sense. There are plenty sports venues constructed in my home town as well, but sports promotion is not only limited to construction of training and competition facilities. To change people’s way of life, to contribute to people’s health improvement and to promote grassroots sports, we need to invest in sports management and attract in venues’ operation professionals that are athletes themselves.

Tatarstan and Kazan are very lucky in this regard. Your President Rustam Minnikhanov is a true model of a high achiever who finds time for sport, despite his tight schedule. He practices sports, both professional and amateur, and finds time to root for famous Tatarstan champions. Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin is also known for his love of sports. Such sports enthusiasm demonstrated by Tatarstan’s leaders cannot help but have a positive impact on the policy aimed to promote grassroots sports», Claude-Louis Gallien said.

The FISU 1st Vice-President also admitted that his dream was to see sports and creativity combined at the Universiade. «There are thousands, millions of talented students in the world. If some of them fulfill themselves in sports, others pour out their creativity into songs, dances, artistic pieces. I dream that some day each of them will be able to demonstrate their talents at the Universiade, thus turning the World University Games into an international friendship and culture festival. There will be preliminary rounds as well, where talented youth, like athletes, will be qualifying for the Games in various categories: song, dance, graffitti», Claude-Louis Gallien stated. When told about the Cultural Universiade, a project implemented by the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate for the first time ever in the history of the University Games, the FISU 1st Vice-President was thrilled with the idea of the project. «By all appearances, you managed to solve a complex problem, you managed to consolidate all the youth under the idea of the Universiade, in all the categories. When each inhabitant of the city, region and the nation feels like he or she is involved in the event, it shapes a totally different attitude towards the 2013 Universiade project, making each Russian citizen partially responsible for the successful delivery of the Games», the FISU 1st Vice-President expressed his confidence.

Indeed, thanks to the Cultural Universiade, a project masterminded by Larisa Sulima, Advisor to the Director General and Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, hundreds of talented boys and girls from various cities and regions of Russia and Tatarstan got involved in the preparations for the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan. Moreover, the Games organizers succeeded to bring together Tatarstan’s creative elite that are to contribute to the preparations of the spectacular Opening/Closing Ceremonies, and to presentation of rich cultural traditions of the people residing inRussia. Apart from that, the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate also launched a cooperation with representatives of the education community and leaders of youth public associations in Tatarstan. In that way, today, two years prior to the start of the World University Summer Games, over 500 young talents were selected for the UNI-reserve/UNI-elite talent pool.

«If what I heard of the Cultural Universiade is true, I’m looking forward to seeing the 2013 Summer Universiade as soon as possible. I want to enjoy the show and take pleasure in the Games’ cultural program. I hope thatKazan’s Cultural Universiade experience will become an integral part of the World University Games», Claude-Louis Gallien concluded.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)