Zhang Xinsheng, President of the FUSC and the Vice President of FISU
Opening Address at the HoD Meeting of the 26th Summer Universiade by the President of the FUSC and the Vice President of FISU
Distinguished Vice Mayor ZHANG Wen, dear EC members and Heads of Delegations,
Good Morning!
Bathing in the cozy sunlight of April, the city of Shenzhen is of particular beauty with its lively dynamism and vernal radiance. It is in such a great season of early spring that we have the pleasure to welcome our most cherished friends from FISU and Heads of Delegations from 50 countries and regions.
Firstly, on behalf of FISU and the Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC), please allow me to express my warmest welcome to all our guests and my sincere gratitude to the Organizing Committee for their elaborate preparation. Ten years have passed since the new millennium unfolded. It is at such a transitional time that the Shenzhen Universiade is celebrated. With the first ten years just behind us, the new phase is already on its way. The last period is full of speedy change and new development, of chance and challenge. How should we make future plan based on past experience? Bear this in mind, and the answers lies in reliance on our youth, since the youth is our future, is the future of the whole world. In such a flat world where globalization prevails, the Universiade is the most grandiose celebration of the youth, and thus should be our common concern. How should we further promote FISU, and to make Shenzhen Universiade, Gwangju Universiade, and Kazan Universiade wonders of the world? They are all in your hands, since FISU is our collective property, it does not belong to anyone alone, it belongs to everyone together.
As the president of FUSC, ever since my election as of the Vice President of FISU in 2003, and the President of AUSF in 2004, I, together with my colleagues, have fully devoted myself into the development of university sports. As the host country and region of this universiade, China has successfully hosted 19 FISU championships and conferences since 2001, and 14 AUSF championships and conferences since 2004, including the 21st Summer Universiade in Beijing and the 24th Winter Universiade in Harbin. Therefore, I have the sincere wish that this HoD meeting can serve as a platform for our representatives to contribute your brilliant ideas and thoughts and cooperate with us to make this universiade a splendid banquet.
Sport teaches our youngsters to learn to cooperate through competition, to improve through failure, and to create future leaders out of themselves. In this sense, the idea universiade expresses, that of communication and improvement even transcend the importance of the games itself. In this spirit, Madam Liu Yandong, the State Councilor, our Minister of Education and Minister of Sport paid several inspection visits to Shenzhen. We are working heart and soul to give you a successful universiade.
From a regional perspective, AUSF is to some extent the host of this Universiade. Therefore, from a continental point of view, please allow me welcome all participants from other continents, including Africa, America, Europe and Oceania. Since its establishment in 1992, AUSF grown from 12 members to 35 and is playing an increasingly important role in promoting the development of universities sports in Asia.
We are regretted to learn that due to some personal reasons, President George Killian cannot make his way here. Shall I express my sincere greetings to you all on behalf of FISU, and express my gratitude to my colleagues in FISU. Thank you for your great efforts into the preparation of the Summer Universiade. I should further thank Mr. Eric Saintrond and all the Secretariat staffs for their contribution. Today, with only 120 days to go before the opening of the 26th Summer Universiade, all the preparatory jobs have entered its final sprint. Under the leadership of the Chinese Central Government, and the International University Sports Federation, we will present a most fabulous sport banquet and exhibit the unique charm of Shenzhen to the whole world.
The HoD meeting is an important part of the Universiade. In the following three days, our HoDs will pay an all-around and in-depth inspection visit to the venues. In the meantime, the Organizing Committee will reply to all your concerns and questions with precision. It is not only helpful for the participants to compete in the Universiade, but also beneficiary to the Organizing Committee to further promote this great event. Moreover, it is a great opportunity to self-examine our work, to overcome shortcomings and to guarantee the successful hosting of the Universiade.
Here the Chinese idiom goes as “It is a great pleasure to have friends coming from afar”. Indeed, Chinese people are known for its hospitality ever since ancient times. Shenzhen is even more so for its openness. We sincerely hope all of you could reap the benefits of the HoD meeting, and return home with higher expectation of the Universiade. At last, let me wish the HoD meeting a complete success!
ZHANG Xinsheng
FUSC President
14 April 2011
