FISU Volunteers set for Taipei 2017

TAIPEI CITY, CHINESE TAIPEI – As part of the Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade legacy project, volunteers from all over the world have been preparing to contribute to what will be the world’s biggest multi-sport event this year.

Over 19,000 volunteers will take part in the 29^th Summer Universiade, an event set to become the biggest sporting event that Chinese Taipei has ever hosted.

Last month, FISU staged its first Volunteer Leaders Academy in Kazan, Russia, where 110 students from 91 different countries attended seminars and workshops delivered by industry leaders on a range of subjects, including anti-doping, volunteer management and effective communications. 

Timothy King-Derry was a participant in the Academy and will now play a key role in the management of this year’s Summer Universiade, assisting in a data capture project as a FISU intern. As a Sports Management student at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, King-Derry hopes to practically apply some of the skills he has been taught.

“When I was selected to represent my country a couple months ago to attend the Volunteer Leaders Academy, I would have never thought that I would be packing my bags to work alongside FISU in Chinese Taipei, helping to deliver the Summer Universiade,” King-Derry said.

“I am really excited to be a part of this team, and I think the experience will be good for my professional career development too, particularly my communication, leadership, and time management skills.”

So stoked to have earned an internship to intern with FISU during the Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade, Trinidad and Tobago’s Timothy King-Derry gives FISU President Oleg Matytsin a hug during the 2017 awards ceremony  

The Taipei 2017 Organising Committee has also recruited local volunteers to help athletes and spectators as soon as they step off the plane. Jocelyn Lo, who is studying Law at the National ChengChi University in Taipei, will be part of the team greeting visitors.

“I am the forefront of the Taipei Summer Universiade 2017, because I may be the first person that athletes and others see after they arrive,” she said. “I am looking forward to taking part as a volunteer, to learn from other students, improve my English and help to solve any problems that might arise.”

The 29^th FISU Summer Universiade is taking place in Taipei from 19 August and will run until the Closing Ceremony on 30 August. Over 10,000 athletes from 150 countries will represent their universities across 22 different sports.