2013 SU Update: FISU Flag arrives in Penza

PENZA – Early in the morning of September 15th, the ‘Universiade in Your City!’ train with the Kazan 2013 delegates on board arrived in Penza, the eighth city on the route of the FISU Flag Relay.

Penza extended a warm welcome to the Kazan 2013 delegates; a military brass band, folk dances and a traditional round loaf awaited the guests from Tatarstan at the railway station. «The entirePenzais happy to welcome you! Our students have been waiting for your arrival for a long time, ready to plunge themselves into the atmosphere of sports, youth and beauty», said Elena Stolyarova, Deputy Chairman of the Penza Region Government.

«Russian students are lucky people», said Larisa Sulima, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Committee, in her welcome speech to the hosts. «They have a chance not simply see the FISU Flag, but also take part in the preparations and staging of the Universiade 40 years after the 1973 SU was held. Today we are to become partners and we believe that the youth of Penza will make their contribution to the efforts of Team 2013.»

The traditional hundredweight of salt and chak-chak were presented to colleagues from Penza, together with a kalatch, a traditional Slavic bread sent to Penza from Saratov.

After that the ‘Universiade in Your City!’ motorcade escorted the FISU Flag replica with the city’s name on it through downtown Penza. The motorcade is made up by the legendary KAMAZ-master team truck, quad bikes, FISU Flag Relay’s general partner BMW automobiles and buses with the Tatarstan delegates on board. The motorcade was headed by Arthur Shaidullin, a winner of the Faces of the Universiade contest, who was bestowed the honor of bearing the FISU Flag during the motor rally.

The route of the rally went through downtownPenza, where over a dozen of high schools are located. Crowds of students, schoolchildren, young activists and local citizens formed a narrow passageway through which the motorcade paraded.

The motorcade reached its final destination at a square in front of the Penza Mayor’s Office where a cooperation agreement between the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate and Penza’s leading higher education institutions was signed. At the same time the FISU Flag Relay’s two youth events ‘We Vote for PEACE!’ and ‘Greeting Card 2013’ evolved in one of the central squares of the city.

The FISU Flag Relay-related festivities proceeded in Penza Mayor’s Office andLenin Square, where a gig headlined by the rock band Murakami took place.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)