2013 SU Update: Kazan to host Universiade Torch Relay and FISU Gala

KAZAN – Hot on the heels of the FISU Flag Relay, a unique event inspired and pioneered by the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, the organizers of the 27th Summer Universiade plan to stage the Universiade Torch Relay.

Starting in the spring of 2013, the Universiade Torch Relay will end on July 6th, the opening day of the 27th World University Summer Games in Kazan. Such statement was made by Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Vladimir Leonov at the All-Russian Scientific Conference On Enhancing the Role of Physical Culture and Sports in Personality Development of Students. «We are already in the process of developing the concept of the Universiade Torch Relay which will be revealed at the beginning of 2012. The relay kicks off in the spring of 2013 and crosses the finish line of the 45,000-seat stadium on July 6th, the opening day of the Games. If we’ve carried the FISU Flag mainly through the cities of the Volga Region, the geographical area covered by the torch relay will be wider: from cities of the far and near abroad to almost all major cities of Russia. All in all, the number of cites included in the Universiade Torch Relay’s route will be 27 which corresponds to the number of sports in the Kazan 2013 program», explained Vladimir Leonov.

He also confirmed the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate’s plans to organize the FISU Flag Relay through the cities of Europe as well. Earlier, this offer had been made by Kazan Major Ilsur Metshin during one of the traditional Monday briefings. «Currently we are working through this concept. The project is most likely to be launched in 2012», said the head of the Universiade Directorate.

At the same time, a year ahead of the 27th Summer Universiade, Kazan will host the first ever FISU Gala Festival. The idea of the so-called FISU Gala initially emerged during the first FISU Debriefing that had been held in Kazan on October 21-22. «We are introducing many innovations in FISU’s everyday routine. For the first time in Universiade history we carried out the FISU Flag Relay and FISU Debriefing. And now we intend to bring in another novelty, FISU Gala Festival. We wish to assemble an enormous amount of international university sports representatives, to establish nominations, to turn it in some kind of a ‘Student Academy Awards’», Vladimir Leonov said.

As Oleg Matystin admitted, the FISU Gala will become a forum allowing to get a closer look at the International University Sports Federation and focusing its attention on Kazan, the host city of the 2013 Summer Universiade. «We plan to discuss the idea of the festival during the next FISU Executive Committee meeting which will be held in a few days in Brussels», he stated. «We wanted to turn the Gala into a traditional event organized by each host city of University Games. We intend to invite members of the International Olympic Committee, sports federations and winners in such nominations as Best Male Athlete of the Year, Best Female Athlete of the Year, Best International Sports Federation, Best Higher Education Institution Promoting University Sports, etc.»

(Source: Tatar Inform Information Agency & Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)

FISU 1st Vice-President Matytsin

Vladimir Leonov