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27th Summer Universiade opening ceremony starts in Kazan

The Universiade will continue until July 17

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

KAZAN, July 6 (Itar-Tass) - The 27th Summer Universiade opening ceremony has started at the Kazan Arena stadium with more than 45,000 people in attendance.

The ceremony will continue for about four hours. Each visitor has been insured by the insurance company Sogaz and got a gift package consisting of a tulip-shaped hand fan, three flashlights, a bell with the Universiade emblem, and 3D glasses. Each item has a role to play in the show and makes the visitors a part of the action.

President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kazan for the opening ceremony. Prior to the ceremony, Putin he took a tour of the new terminal of Kazan’s international airport built specially for the occasion. He then board an express train to get to the Universiade Village to meet with the Russian athletes who will compete in the Student Games.

The Universiade will continue until July 17. More than 10,000 athletes from 175 countries will compete in 27 sports for 315 sets of medals.

The decision to hold the Universiade in Kazan was made by the International University Sport Federation (FISU) on May 31, 2008. Since then dozens of facilities were built in Kazan, including almost 30 sport ones, and 11 new road intersections, dozens of kilometers of roads were repaired, the city’s airport and railway station were renovated, and the Universiade Village was built.

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