2016 FISU Forum – Day of Arrivals, Getting Ready for the Forum

MONTPELLIER – Sunday, 3 July, the day before the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 FISU Forum, marked the day of arrivals in Montpellier. Delegates from all over the world as well as FISU President Oleg Matytsin and FISU Secretary-General Eric Saintrond were welcomed in the Southern French city by representatives of the Organising Committee and many volunteers.

Forum participants who will reside at the university village of Triolet were able to pick up their accreditations and get to know the environment for the next seven days, but also to recover from traveling to the event location. From tomorrow on they will be participating in the educational programme of the FISU Forum which will be held from 4 till 9 July.

FFSU President Jean-François Sautereau welcomes FISU President Oleg Matytsin in Montpellier

FISU talked to some of the arrivals and asked them about their hopes and expectations:

Delise O’Meally (USA): “I always enjoy the FISU Forum and coming together with all the relations. This time the Forum is on a college campus, that’s really unique I think, back to education. This will be a spectacular event that I look forward to every two years. We put a big priority on bringing students from our country every time we come here. We try to make sure we bring them because we want to open their minds and give them a chance to meet and network with people from all over the world. We think as they grow in sport they will be able to have an amazing network. My main expectation is just to watch them grow and develop during the week that we’re here. And then just personally for me to renew my contacts with the FISU Family and to continue to continue to share knowledge about university sport.”

Reuben Williams (AUS): “I’m expecting to meet a lot of people, create a whole bunch of new relationships and connections, take a lot in and just enjoy it. Our country is trying to grow in university sports so we can get everything organised for the games. I already met some Hungarian participants, they kind of adopted me and changed my name from Reuben to Rudolf. Also, I am a big follower of the Tour de France so I will stay in Montpellier for a couple of days after the Forum to watch them pass through the city.”

Jill Nussbaumer (SUI): ‘’I’m really excited to and to meet many new people. I am a student-representative for the Swiss federation and this is my first time at the Forum. I think the workshops will be very exciting because they focus on students. I think in the regard of hosting the 2021 Winter Universiade in Lucerne our federation can really profit from the knowledge of other federations that already organised the multi-sport event. Personally I have never been to a Universiade, I want to learn about it.”

Max Länge, FISU Media Intern