Joining Hands in the Name of Youth, Unity, and Friendship - A Side Story of the Closing Ceremony of the Chengdu Universiade Youth | Youth | Universiade
Under the night, the Chengdu Open Air Music Park is filled with youthful vitality and a sense of farewell. On August 8th, on the day of Liqiu, the Chengdu Universiade came to a close.
In the past 12 days, young friends from all over the world have been pursuing their dreams through hard work, enhancing friendship through gathering and getting to know each other, and playing the colorful music of youth.
Remember the moving past and imagine a bright future. Starting from here, in the name of youth, unity, and friendship, young friends from all over the world will join hands and move forward.
The dream of inspiring passionate youth
Chengdu Open Air Music Park, the "Sun God Bird" flew to the closing ceremony from the opening ceremony, leading everyone through the exciting schedule of the Universiade, and then lit up its wings in the night sky, emitting a dazzling light.
Chengdu achieves its dreams.
"The theme of this closing ceremony is' Dreams, Lighting the Future '. We hope to showcase the infinite hope nurtured by youth, as well as the beautiful future that youth will create," said Jia Ding, the chief director of the closing ceremony.
From July 28th to August 8th, young athletes from all over the world gathered in Rongcheng, telling the unique charm of sports with a fighting attitude and a high spirit, showcasing the unique style of the younger generation.
On August 8th, the actors performed at the closing ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Xi
Live music rang out, and the "Gong Tong tree", known as a living fossil in the plant kingdom, appeared on stage, gradually growing into lush branches and leaves. Dove flowers, symbolizing peace, adorned it. The flags and signs of 113 participating delegations then entered the venue, and the guides holding signs also bloomed like dove flowers.
On August 8th, the flag of the participating delegation entered the venue. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Hongjing
Accompanied by cheers from the live audience, people's thoughts couldn't help but be drawn back to the exciting scenes on the Universiade field. In this international sports event with Chinese characteristics, contemporary atmosphere, and youthful charm, young athletes from all over the world share the passion of sports and leave unforgettable marks of youth on the stage of realizing their dreams.
23-year-old tennis player Quinn Sakara has never left Zambia before, and participating in the Chengdu Universiade opened a new chapter in her life: "This is my first time participating in an international competition, and I have gained an unforgettable experience."
The sky and earth are as vast as dreams are.
In the venue, the majestic national anthem sounded, and the bright five-star red flag slowly rose.
At the Chengdu Universiade, Chinese athletes worked hard. The Chinese sports spirit of striving for glory for the country, selfless dedication, scientific and practical pursuit, compliance with laws and regulations, unity and cooperation, and tenacious struggle flows in the blood of every athlete.
Adhering to the concept of simplicity, safety and excellence, China overcame the adverse factors such as the COVID-19 epidemic and fulfilled its solemn commitments, which won widespread praise from the general United Nations family and the international community and made new contributions to the development of international youth sports.
The Power of Consolidating Friendship and Unity
If we compare the Chengdu Universiade to a heavy book, it records not only the brave struggle of athletes on the field, but also their mutual love and understanding outside the field, as well as the silent dedication of volunteers and staff.
As stated by the Acting President of the International University Sports Federation, Ed, in his closing speech, participating in the Universiade is not just about athletic performance, but also about gaining an experience and a friendship that may last a lifetime.
On August 8th, Reno Ed, Acting President of the International Federation of Sports Federations, delivered a speech. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Hongjing
Meeting friends through competitions is a grand event full of friendship and unity.
With a whistle, people's eyes were drawn to the cultural performance at the closing ceremony. The athlete came to the stage, and one of them "accidentally fell" and stood up again with the help of everyone.
Mutual assistance, unity, and friendship are common moments during the Chengdu Universiade. In the men's singles badminton competition, a Ugandan player's racket broke but there was no replaceable racket. Chinese player Wang Zhengxing gave him his own racket; At the Xinjin Rowing Venue, the manager of the Dutch Rowing Team wrote a handwritten letter praising, "Every friend is very friendly and helpful, and we enjoy our time here."
Multiple actors appeared on stage as volunteers in airport receptions, competition services, and support personnel from the Universiade Village, reproducing beautiful moments in volunteer service work.
Xue Xiao, the "Cola Boy" from the Wenchuan earthquake, was a member of the performance team and also a volunteer for this year's Universiade. He was mainly responsible for providing information consultation, guidance and other services to passengers at the volunteer station. "It was my uncle and volunteers from the People's Liberation Army who rescued me from the ruins back then, and I also wanted to pass on the spirit of volunteer service," he said in a previous interview.
From major competition venues and Universiade villages, to the main media center, airport stations, and reception hotels, numerous volunteers are fighting in every corner of the Chengdu Universiade. They share a common name, "Little Green Pepper," which symbolizes that the Chengdu Universiade is a grand event for global youth communication and exchange.
On August 8th, the actors performed at the closing ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Hongjing
On stage, a rare painting from the Song Dynasty, the "Overview of Sichuan's Prosperity", slowly unfolds, transforming a millennium old painting into a modern urban landscape of bustling traffic, reflecting the diverse atmosphere of China in the new era. In the end, the stage transformed into a vast and boundless universe, presenting a beautiful world where all things coexist and prosper together.
Promote the purpose of the Universiade and respond to global challenges with a united attitude. At the Chengdu Universiade, young friends from all over the world used their actions to promote unity and gather the magnificent power of youth.
Longing for fate and a shared future
The light sensing band played the International Federation of Legends anthem, and the flag of the International Federation of Legends slowly lowered under the gaze of the entire audience.
The audio-visual language full of a sense of the times draws people's attention to the host city of the next Universiade - Rhine Ruhr, Germany, to witness the local youth style, cultural characteristics, and extraordinary enthusiasm for sports.
On August 8th, the actors performed at the closing ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Long
"The flame of youth shines brightly," "Sometimes we gather, this love knows no bounds."... Songs rang out, and the big screen in the center of the stage displayed the main torch tower of the Universiade standing by the Dong'an Lake, marking the final farewell moment for the Chengdu Universiade.
Under the affectionate gaze of people, the flame slowly extinguished and transformed into a shining spark. The soaring "Sun God Bird" picked up the spark and passed it to a young man, then circled upwards and flew into the distance.
From flying gracefully at the opening ceremony to drifting away at the closing ceremony, the Chinese cultural heritage symbol "Sun Bird" once again wrote a vivid cultural footnote at the Chengdu Universiade.
To cultivate people with culture and to connect the heart with art.
Within the Dayun Village, over 80 interactive experience activities on Chinese intangible cultural heritage skills and excellent traditional culture are held every day; The cute and adorable image of a giant panda conveys to the world the sincere emotion of "having friends from afar is not a pleasure"; The hot pot, with its hot and steaming soup, has become the favorite of many young athletes... The Chengdu Universiade has opened another window for the world to understand and appreciate Chinese civilization.
On August 8th, the actors performed at the closing ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Duan
Accompanied by the soaring fireworks, a brilliant "dove flower" blooms above the Chengdu Open Air Music Park, conveying the beautiful vision of "peace, friendship, and longevity".
Each has its own beauty, and beauty is shared. The ancient qin of the Eastern Shu School harmonizes with the Western violin in "High Mountains and Flowing Water" and "Eternal Friendship". In the melodious melody, unforgettable moments of the Chengdu Universiade appear on the screen, reproducing the beautiful memories of Chengdu and the Universiade, and remembering the deep embrace between China and the world.
Taking the Chengdu Universiade as a new starting point, the World University Games, this grand event of youth, unity, and friendship, will continue to move forward with youthful vitality.
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