Farewell, Krasnoyarsk – but not for long

The FISU Forum Closing Ceremony was framed by cultural performancesKRASNOYARSK, RUSSIAN FEDERATION – In the end, everyone was waving goodbye. Goodbye to new friends made in the heart of Siberia. Goodbye to hundreds of volunteers who dedicated themselves to putting their city in great spotlight. Goodbye to international university sports representatives from all around the world. However, those goodbye waves felt like ‘see you again soon’ waves. The FISU Forum 2018 may have come to an end, but for Krasnoyarsk this is just the start of a seven-month countdown until the globe’s student-athletes, officials and educators return to the city for the 29^th edition of the Winter Universiade.

“The FISU Forum is an important educational event. Moreover, it is the third test event of the Winter Universiade,” FISU First Vice-President Leonz Eder said. One of the main tasks of the Organising Committee is to test a number of functional areas, such as transportation,  food and beverage, accommodation and medical care.

“During the FISU Forum we found out a lot of useful information. Thanks to the feedback, we understand what we have to work on,” acknowledged Maxim Urazov, Director General of ANO ‘Directorate Krasnoyarsk 2019’. “We received the feedback from foreign guests and volunteers of the FISU Forum, everyone is positive, everyone likes Krasnoyarsk. Now representatives from 47 countries will go back home and tell their friends that one can and should come to Krasnoyarsk.”

 FISU Education Committee Chair Verena Burk passing the flag on from previous Forum host Krasnoyarsk to future host Budapest

It’s what FISU Forum participants will do, according to Maxim Lopez from Canada: “I really liked it in Krasnoyarsk, this is my first visit to Russia. Certainly, the nature impressed me. We would really like to come back here again. I hope that we will be at the Winter Universiade 2019 and the FISU Conference alongside. We are confident that these events will be organised at the top level.”

Emilios Solomou, the head of Cyprus delegation at the Forum, was satisfied with the quality of transportation services: “Everything is very good. We had to go a long way from Cyprus to Moscow and then to Krasnoyarsk. All in all, the road took us eight hours. They met our group at the airport and accompanied us for the following flight. Volunteers waited for us at the Krasnoyarsk International Airport. They helped us to get to Periya Dormitory Complex and to check in to the rooms. All people were very friendly and ready to help. The organisation of the Forum is perfect in general and transportation services inclusive.”

Friday was the final day one of the FISU Forum 2018. The five-day educational event culminated with the Closing Ceremony, once again held at the Congress Hall of Siberian Federal University. On stage, Sergei Eremin, Major of Krasnoyarsk, addressed the participants. “Every one of you has brought a piece of his or her motherland to our country. I am very grateful for this,” said Eremin. “Let us give you the same response. I hope that you’ll have the warmest memories of Krasnoyarsk.”

FISU First Vice-President Leonz Eder and FISU Education Committee Chair Verena Burk applauded the Forum Organising Committee for their efforts in hosting the world and the participants for their willingness to discuss the ideas of youth sport around the globe, to strengthen international cooperation and to support student projects in this sphere. It was then Eder who declared the FISU Forum 2018 closed.

Framed by singing and dancing performances, Maxim Uzarov subsequently handed over the FISU flag to Tamás Sterbenz, Vice Rector of the University of Physical Education and Vice President of the Hungarian University Sports Federation. The 15th edition of the Forum will take place in the city of Budapest, Hungary in 2020.

It was in the end the volunteers taking the stage during one last musical performance and under great applause to say their goodbye to more than 170 participants and inviting them to come back to Siberia in 2019.

So, farewell, Krasnoyarsk. But certainly not for long.

Participants of the FISU Forum 2018 wave goodbye