The music center to treat depression.

VillageThe East Gate of the Universiade Village. Photos by Sun Yuchen

                                Volunteers inside a library.

A view of the Universiade Village.

Music beats depression                                   

A CENTER to treat depression during the Universiade opened in Longgang District on Thursday,August 4th.

“The treatment is a combination of music, psychology and physiology. It is the first center of its kind in Universiade history,” said a vice director of the culture and sports department in the village.

Athletes will be encouraged to play musical instruments or take part in percussion music with partners to relieve pre-games nervousness.

Equipped with musical instruments, the center has two rooms for one-to-one counseling and another for groups. The center can counsel 30 individuals and at least 180 groups each day.

The city mental health service center for women and children has selected 12 professionals for the center.

After the games, depression counseling would be introduced to residential communities, according to the center management.

Foreign chefs                                   

AT least 10 seasoned foreign chefs will provide a variety of food at the Universiade Village canteen.

The food will include Mediterranean and Muslim food. “I cooked for the Guangzhou Asian Games last year and I am happy to be here in Shenzhen for the Universiade,” said British chef Geoff Preston.

Preston also cooked for the Asian Games in Doha in 2006.

Most foreign chefs have been involved in cooking for international sports events.

Covering an area of around 12,000 square meters, the 24-hour canteen can serve 3,600 people breakfast, lunch and dinner.

About 70 percent of the canteen food will be Western-style.

“We will keep a close watch on the preparation of food, including the source of raw ingredients,” said a canteen manager, Chen Zheng.

(Li Hao)