Executive President of the Organising Committee of the Chengdu FISU World University Games
Your Excellency State Councillor SHEN Yiqin,
Distinguished FISU Acting President Leonz EDER,
Dear student athletes,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Tonight we gather and celebrate at the Chengdu Open Air Music Park. With your presence, this modern metropolis with profound history becomes more dynamic, more attractive, more comfortable and relaxing (Sichuan dialect: bā shì and ān yì)! Thank you!
President XI Jinping attended the opening ceremony and declared the Chengdu FISU World University Games open, extending good wishes to young people around the world.
Together with FISU and delegations of countries and regions from all over the world, we have presented to the world a grand event of youth, solidarity, friendship and cultural exchanges, making new contributions to the development of the international youth sport.
During the past 12 days as the burning FISU Flame brightens up the sky, over 6,500 student athletes from 113 countries and regions have competed with passion and determination, cheered for each other, and helped each other succeed. On the streets of Chengdu ring their joys and fulfillment, leaving trails of beautiful and long-lasting memories of the Chengdu FISU World University Games. Chengdu makes the dreams of all come true!
On this merry night of triumphal singing and dancing and on behalf of the organising committee, I would like to express my warm congratulations to all young athletes who have achieved great results! My heartfelt gratitude also goes to FISU and all the athletes, coaches, technical officials, volunteers, and media members. My tribute goes to all who have participated in and contributed to the organisation and construction, and to the outstanding chief directors and the top-notch teams of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Chengdu FISU World University Games!
We will forever remember the heartwarming company of the mascot Rongbao. Tonight, the dove tree flower, a symbol of strength, solidarity and peace, will have its full blossom. Let me share with you a charming and ever-lasting story. In 1954, Chinese Premier ZHOU Enlai was delightfully surprised to see a dove tree, originating from China, thrive near Lake Geneva in Switzerland. As early as 1869, the French naturalist Armand DAVID discovered the giant pandas and dove trees for the first time in Sichuan. Thirty years later, the British botanist Henry WILSON travelled across the sea to China to look for dove trees, dubbing China as the 'Mother of Gardens' and the Chengdu Plain as the 'Western China Garden'. Giant pandas and dove trees, as ambassadors of friendship transcending time and space, carry the message that be it in the past, present or future, the Chinese people stand ready to join hands with the people of the world to create a brighter future!
'From Mount Emei the moon rises bright over a boundless sea of cloud; by our side follows the moonlight for thousands of miles wherever we go'. These classic verses written by the 'immortal poet' LI Bai vividly depict our reluctance at this moment to part with our friends. Though it is time to bid farewell to the FISU Games Village, we are still living together in the Global Village. Sichuan will always welcome you with open arms! Once in Chengdu, call it your Chengdu!
Now, it is my honour to invite FISU Acting President Leonz EDER to deliver a speech and declare the Chengdu FISU World University Games closed.
Leonz EDER Closing Ceremony Speech
"ChengDu wua menn ai nii"
"ChengDu xie xie"
Your Excellency State Councilor Shen Yiqin (Shen ii tschin),
Dear student athletes,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, as we gather here in the Chengdu Open Air Music Park, we share a bittersweet moment.
On the one hand, over the past 12 days, we have witnessed over 6,500 of the world's student athletes enjoy a spectacular FISU World University Games, the best Games ever.
On the other hand, we must now bid a heartfelt farewell to the wonderful city of Chengdu.
From the very beginning of our journey in China, we have been embraced with warmth and hospitality that words cannot fully express.
We are truly grateful for the support of the Chengdu 2021 Organising Committee, the Federation of University Sports of China, the Government of the People's Republic of China, of Sichuan Province and the city and people of Chengdu.
And I must take a moment to extend our gratitude to our colleagues from the International Sports Federations…
To the FISU Member Associations…
To the FISU team working tirelessly behind the scenes…
And to all the incredible volunteers….
Thank you for your commitment to making dreams come true here in Chengdu.
(PAUSE)
And to the student athletes, each and every one of you…
Your spirit, your camaraderie, and your determination have been an inspiration to us all.
Your successes and even your struggles have reminded us that it is not just about winning medals, but about the journey and the friendships made along the way which might last for a lifetime.
May your passion for sport continue to burn brightly and may you become ambassadors of friendship, peace, and understanding.
(PAUSE)
Dear friends, as we say goodbye to Chengdu, we carry with us cherished memories and the promise of future encounters. Chengdu made dreams come true – for everybody. In this moment we will not forget all the student athletes who could not share this wonderful experience here with us, for reasons for which they are not responsible.
(PAUSE)
It is with great pleasure that we now pass the torch to Rhine Ruhr for the next summer edition in 2025.
With all my heart, xie xie once again to all the athletes, xie xie to Chengdu, xie xie to China and to FISU.
I wish you all a very safe journey home. The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games are now officially closed.
Mahmut ÖZDEMIR ClosingCeremonySpeech
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, Germany
Dear sports family, athletes, guests, spectators – from Chengdu, from around China and from all over the world.
I am pleased to address you today as the representative of the federal government of the Federal Republic of Germany. And it is a great honour for me to be handed over the FISU flag.
In 2025, Germany will be hosting the next Summer World University Games, so we will carry home the flag and the passion of the World University Games, from China to Germany.
First of all, I would like to congratulate the Executive Committee of the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games and thank you for your excellent work in organising this event. I would also like to express to the athletes my great respect for the superb sporting achievements we have seen during these Games.
Furthermore, I would like to thank the organisers for the wonderful cultural programme accompanying this event, which has truly shown that:
Chengdu makes dreams come true!
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to the Rhine-Ruhr FISU World University Games in Germany in the summer of 2025.
We look forward to welcoming you to Germany and to hosting you as part of this great sporting family.
At the World University Games in Germany, we want to demonstrate the transformational power of sport, academia and culture. And we want to present our guests and spectators from around the world with an outstanding sporting competition, unforgettable experiences and intercultural exchange.
The Rhine-Ruhr region, and specifically the city of Duisburg, where I was born and raised, hosted the World University Games back in 1989. And now we are looking forward to repeating the experience in 2025. Many people have been sharing with me their memories of the Games 34 years ago, and they are very excited about attending the next event: the opening ceremony, the cultural programme, and being able to meet the athletes in person.
Rhine-Ruhr is a university region like no other. It has one of the highest concentrations of higher education institutions in all of Germany. It is a region built on the coal and steel industry which has made the transition to logistics and services – and has connections reaching all the way to China. It is also a region with the smartest minds, implementing bright ideas to drive the transition towards net zero carbon emissions and sustainability.
And it is a region with a great passion for sports, at recreational level and at the highest level. It is home to most of Germany’s sports clubs. And yet it also has the highest concentration of academic research institutions in Europe.
We want the advantages of the Rhine-Ruhr region to contribute exciting new connections:
- with a unique combination of sport, academia and sustainability and
- by inspiring and enriching the present with the innovative power of the new.
I am sure that in 2025 we will succeed in organising an unforgettable sporting event in Germany. An event worthy of the slogan:
Passionately Connected by Fire and Water, Together as One.
The passionate connection of fire and water is more than just a quotation of heritage and origin. It serves as a powerful metaphor of Rhine-Ruhr's unwavering commitment to bring cultures and people together, even if they seem opposite at first glance.
Dear audience, thank you very much... enjoy the show... So see you in Rhine-Ruhr.
