Historic city writes new chapter in world’s youth engagement

While the world still remembers the big snowflake from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Golden Sun Bird, logo of China Culture Heritage which symbolizes light, strength and hope, hovering over the main stadium of Dong'an Lake Sports Park at the opening ceremony of the FISU World University Games once again amazed a global audience. 

With the fireworks of Chengdu city flower hibiscus blossoming in the air, the 31st World University Summer Games opened in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on Friday. The historic city has added a fresh youthful imprint and wrote a new chapter in the world's youth engagement and exchanges.

Golden main stage, sun circle screen... In this grand event, "sunshine" was a creative element throughout the proceeding. With the theme of "Make dreams come true," the Chengdu World University Games strives to present a sunny opening ceremony to the world, showing the joy and style of young college students from all over the world gathering in Chengdu, bathing in the sunshine and accomplishing their dreams. It also calls on university students around the world to promote the realization of the common aspiration for peace and development of all mankind and to realize the common dream of building a global community with a shared future.

Guided by signboards made of Shu embroidery, university athletes entered the stadium. Colorful silk threads were projected onto the runway, forming a weaving "Silk Road," representing the bright future of the participating college athletes and the youth from all over the world.

The opening ceremony is centered on college students, reflecting the values of friendship, fraternity, fair play, perseverance, integrity, cooperation and application championed by FISU. During the athletes' entrance, a college student band performed live classical music from five continents, expressing their respect and love for the cultures and arts of all countries in the world, reflecting cultural exchanges, friendship and inner resonance.

Among the cast and volunteers of the opening ceremony, 99 percent of participants were college students, marking the start of one of the world's premier sporting events for young people.