2013 SU Update: First Kazan 2013 Ambassadors announced

KAZAN – Two big-name Kazan citizens, oustanding weightlifter Andrey Demanov and famous rock singer Dilyara Vagapova, were announced as Kazan 2013 ambassadors at theFISU Flag Relay Kick-off press conference on August 29th.

The solemn Kazan 2013 ambassadors initiation ceremony was attended by Rafis Burganov, Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Larisa Sulima, Advisor to the Director General and Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate. They both talked about the mission of the Ambassador 2013 program which is focused on promoting the Universiade, popularizing values of university sports, tourism and healthy lifestyle. The first Kazan 2013 ambassadors are perfect role models for that.

There is a good reason that weightlifter Andrey Demanov was named the first Kazan 2013 ambassador. Andrey’s sports career especially flourished at the University Games. After a triumph at the 2011 European Weightlifting Championships, the postgraduate student of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University was appointed the Russian national team’s flag bearer for the Shenzhen Summer Universiade. Having won another gold at the 2011 Universiade, Andrey Demanov was awarded the right to act as a representative of Team Russia during the Games Closing Ceremony.

Dilyara Vagapova earned the honor to become a Kazan 2013 ambassador thanks to the growing popularity of the Murakami rock band and her active involvement in events aimed to promote the 27th Summer Universiade. Dilyara Vagapova became a participant of the specialized session of the ‘Universiade is Us!’ volunteer camp; on August 24^th, Murakami headlined the gig dedicated to the FISU Flag’s arrival at the Kazan airport; on August 30th the band made an appearance at the gala concert on the occasion of the Kazan City Day and FISU Flag Relay kick-off.

As a Kazan 2013 ambassador, Dilyara Vagapova will take part in the FISU Flag Relay and appear at the Welcome to Kazan concerts staged in the cities of the Volga Federal District.

Within the FISU Flag Relay project, there will be another Kazan 2013 ambassador chosen in each region of the Volga Federal District from the list of Olympic and Universiade winners, European and world champions, including recent champions of the 26th World University Summer Games in Shenzhen.

«Famous media personalities will also become ambassadors for the 2013 Summer Universiade», Igor Sivov, Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, stated in his speech. «Among those who already gave their consent to join the Kazan 2013 ambassador ranks are singer Yulia Kovalchuk, actors Sergey Bezrukov and Konstantin Khabensky. We are flattered that we don’t have to urge none of the big-name Russian celebrities to become a Universiade ambassador. All of them respond with enthusiasm and express their readiness to popularize the 27th Summer Universiade among the masses.»

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)

Kazan 2013 Ambassador Andrey Demanov

Kazan 2013 Ambassador Dilyara Vagapova