Host Country Amazes World and Universiade Participants with Arena Performance

The opening ceremony of the 25th summer Universiade in Belgrade left breathless not only the spectators in one of the most beautiful sports halls in this part of Europe, but TV viewers, as well.

The performance started with the old folk song “Igrale se delije” in a jam-packed Arena. The host country presented to the guests – Universiade participants, administrators, high officials and members of the diplomatic corps the vision of Serbia as a country of creative and sophisticated people.

Deputy prime minister of Serbia and chairman of the Universiade Organizing Committee, Bozidar Djelic welcomed the guests to Serbia.

Tonight, Serbia is world’s university center of youth, sport and fair play and also the host country of the largest sports event on the planet in 2009 – said Bozidar Djelic.

In the name of Serbia, I thank FISU on having had faith in us and I thank all of you who worked so hard to make all this possible. Big thanks to volunteers, who are the soul of the Universiade.

In his speech, Bozidar Djelic stressed how important student athletes were for the future of this planet.

You have combined the two major strengths – the strength of the spirit and the strength of the body. You are the mavericks of change, of your countries’ future; you are the people who know how to break records. Let this Universiade be remembered for sports achievements. Let the best win! I wish that this Universiade remains in your memory and in your hearts forever. I wish you to meet friends for life, here, in Serbia – concluded Bozidar Djelic.

The FISU chairman, George Killian also addressed the participants of the Universiade.

Serbian and Belgrade are not only hosts of the Universiade. They are helping us to celebrate two important jubilees – 60 year anniversary of FISU and fifty year anniversary of the first summer Universiade. I wish to welcome every athlete, delegation member and administrator to Serbia. Do not leave Serbia without making at least one new friend. I would like to thank volunteers and members of Universiade Organizing Committee for the effort they put in realizing this project. It hasn’t been easy, but they fulfilled their mission and I thank them on behalf of FISU – said George Killian.

The prime minister of Serbia, Mirko Cvetkovic declared the 25th summer Universiade open.

The authors of the opening ceremony performance showed athletes from 145 countries Serbia’s rich artistic, cultural and scientific heritage and presented some of the most successful Serbian athletes who have made this country known worldwide.

The artistic performance that followed, entitled Body Logic, by means of hi-tech equipment and Serbian know-how showed that the world’s largest sports event in 2009 was not just promotion of sheer strength, but celebration of intellect and knowledge that will make this planet a better place in future. Besides using the most advanced visual art media, “Body Logic” contained postulates and formulas of some of the world’s biggest scientist of Serbian origin – Nikola Tesla and Milutin Milankovic.