2013 SU Update: Saint Petersburg celebrates FISU Flag Relay’s Arrival

SAINT PETERSBURG – The Flag of the International University Sports Federation reached Saint Petersburg. The 27th Summer Universiade will be presented to the students of the Northern Capital of Russia during the Fresher’s Day celebrations.

The program of the FISU Flag Relay festivities started with a motor rally through downtown Saint Petersburg.

The motorcade headed by the legendary KAMAZ-master team truck, included bikers of the Night Wolves MG bike club, FISU Flag Relay’s general partner BMW automobiles and buses with the Tatarstan delegates on board. The ‘Universiade in Your City!’ motorcade escorted theFISUFlag replica with the city’s name on it through downtown Saint Petersburg.

The Rector Council of Saint Petersburghosted the solemn ceremony of signing a cooperation agreement between the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate and rectors of Saint Petersburg’s higher education institutions. Apart from signers of the agreement, the ceremony saw the participation of Vladimir Taimazov, Rector of the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health, member of the Physical Culture and Sports Council under the President of the Russian Federation, 1st Vice President of the Russian Student Sports Union; Boris Mendelevich, Head of the Department of Health, Sports and Healthy Lifestyle of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan; Andrey Kondratyev, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan; Alexander Nikolaev, Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee of Youth Policy and Cooperation with Public Organizations, and executives of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, Deputy Director General Igor Sivov, Chief of Staff Larisa Sulima and Director of the Volunteer Department Liliya Barieva. Tamara Tsypota, Deputy Chairman of the North-West Branch of Sberbank of Russia, became a special guest of the ceremony.

Vladimir Leonov delivered the presentation of the Summer Universiade, especially noting the changes that the city of Kazan underwent on the threshold of the Games. «The Universiade Village, the most modern student campus in our country, represents a true jewel among the venues built for the Games 2013 in Kazan. By the way, when we were designing the Village, we closely cooperated with Saint Petersburg experts that had been involved in the construction of Saint Petersburg’s inter-university student campus built in the 60s of last century», Vladimir Leonov said.

«I’ve recently visited Kazan and I saw how the city is getting ready for the Universiade, how it is changing. Thanks to the University Games, the city gained a new quality of life, a unique sports and transport infrastructure. The social policy aimed to build a healthy population is also fully implemented», said Vladimir Vasilyev, Chairman of the Rector Council of Saint Petersburg.

Unlike the cities of the Volga Federal District, where Team 2013 signed cooperation agreements with each higher education institution separately, in Saint Petersburgthe Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate became partners with the whole rector corps, thus guaranteeing consolidated involvement ofSaint Petersburg’s university community in the global process of the preparations for the World University Summer Games in Kazan.

It stands to mention that sport occupies a very important place in the life of Saint Petersburg students. The Saint Petersburg Universiade held annually in 62 sports gathers thousands of students on sports venues. The Federal Training Sports Centre currently under construction will become another valuable addition to the inter-university sports infrastructure.

Personnel training for the 2013 Summer Universiade is to become the key area of cooperation. «Saint Petersburg is a reputable source of highly qualified specialists. Apart from 20,000 volunteers, 20-30% of which will be recruited from federal regions of Russia, we are going to need well-trained personnel in various areas of activities for the Games inKazan. We can try them out during test events; we will have over 50 of them before the Games. It’s very important that two years prior to the start of the World University Summer Games we turn this project into a national idea for all youth of Russia. Throughout theFISUFlag Relay, the Universiade Directorate partnered with 13 regions of the Volga Federal District, and now we found partners in Saint Petersburg», Vladimir Leonov said.

He expressed special thanks to the general partner of the FISU Flag Relay, Sberbank of Russia, for making the project possible. «We are honored to be a partner of the project that popularizes sports, a healthy way of life and friendship of young people from different regions and countries», said Tamara Tsypota, Deputy Chairman of the North-West Branch of Sberbank of Russia, in return.

«I hope that this framework agreement will become the first step towards a fruitful joint work. Our partnership may become part of the Universiade Heritage and assist in youth policy development in both regions, Tatarstan and Saint Petersburg, as well as in preparing and implementing large international projects after the World University Games», Vladimir Leonov said.

Later on, the festivities on the occasion of the FISU Flag Relay inSaint Petersburg proceeded in Saint Petersburg State University and Peterburgsky Sports and Culture Complex.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)

Vladimir Leonov