Universiade to be global event

By Chen Hong (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-08-13 10:34

SHENZHEN: The opening and closing ceremonies for the Universiade Shenzhen 2011 - the top sports event for university athletes across the world - will have a carnival theme and give an "unexpected experience" to the young participants, officials said.

The committee has received about 20 creative ideas from the public bidding for the ceremonies of the 26th Summer Universiade, to be held Aug 12 to 22, 2011 in the southern city bordering Hong Kong.

"We want to highlight young people's vitality and creativity and make the opening and closing ceremonies, especially the latter, a big party for them," Liang Daoxing, director-general of the executive office of the organizing committee for Universiade Shenzhen, told China Daily in an exclusive interview Wednesday.

The two-year countdown started Wednesday.

The venue options for the closing ceremony could be an entertainment theme park or seaside, he said, adding that the winner of the bid, who will be selected from famous Chinese directors and creative teams involved with the Beijing Olympic Games, will be announced by the end of this year.

At least 13,000 student-athletes and officials from more than 160 countries will participate in the "biggest-ever Universiade" in Shenzhen. Athletes will compete in 24 sporting events for 302 gold medals.

The committee will offer a variety of opportunities for student-athletes and visitors to understand the economy, culture and social customs of Shenzhen.

The committee also will welcome journalists from around the world, Liang said.

"We welcome both registered and unregistered journalists to cover the event. We plan to give them the same treatment as the athletes," he noted.

The government of Shenzhen will invest about 7 billion yuan in the construction of the venues and facilities for television, as well as an information network, according to Liang.

"The construction of 22 new sports facilities are in full swing and the revamp of 36 existing projects will start soon. All these will be completed by the end of 2010," he said.

The local government also pledged to ensure the air quality of the city would meet the standard of the Beijing Olympic Games.

One of the measures is to eliminate the current 200,000 vehicles that do not meet the emission standard of the city by 2011, according to the city's environmental protection authority.

"The event provides a great opportunity for Shenzhen, a young and dynamic city with a short 29-year history, to improve the citizens' quality of life, as well as the city's transportation network, and environmental and ecologic protection," Liang said.