“Spread Your Wings” and Do Sports in Kazakhstan!
The Winter Universiade 2017 in Almaty
August 10th, 2016
The goal outlined by the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, aiming to involve 30% of the Kazakh population in sports by 2020, is about to come into being. In 2017, the 28th Winter Universiade will be held in Almaty from January 29th to February 8th. 2000 athletes between the ages of 17 and 28, from 55 countries, will participate in the competition.
The Universiade – an international multi-sport event which is organised for university athletes – is held under the auspices of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). Students of all levels graduating the year before the Universiade and who are between the ages of 17 and 28 can compete.
Approximately, 3000 volunteers will be involved in the functions, spread across eight sports venues, the airport and hotels of the city of Almaty. 3000 foreign guests and tourists are expected to attend the games. The Organising Committee of the 28th Winter Universiade is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dariga Nazarbayeva. Two out of the eight sports venues will be built for the Universiade: namely the Ice Arena (3,000 seats) and the Ice Palace (12,000 seats).
In addition to these venues, an Athletes’ Village with a capacity of 5000 people is being built for the participants. The Athletes’ Village will also be provided with an infrastructure of clinics, cafes, restaurants, and banks. Temporary, open-air constructions for new sports, such as snowboarding (big air) and freestyle (aerials) are planned for the centre of Almaty.
The slogan of the Universiade is “Spread your wings!” and the logo of the Winter Universiade 2017 has been designed in the form of stylised wings, with a distinct dynamic form which symbolizes growth and the pursuit of excellence.
A young falcon named “Sunkar” was chosen as the mascot for the winter Universiade. Sunkar is a free and strong inhabitant of the Kazakh steppes and symbolises speed, flight, lightness, energy, and a thirst for victory – precisely the qualities that are inherent in young athletes.
It is hoped that the Universiade will inspire a drive to succeed in the youth participating in the competition. It is estimated that the number of TV viewers will reach 1 billion, with broadcasting being available in 80 countries.
