FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy embrace Tatar culture
Kazan, July 4 – The FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy is where sport, education and culture all come together to build the leaders of tomorrow.
The second day of the academy lived up to this and the FISU motto of pursuing “Excellence in Mind and Body” as the 110 participants from 91 countries pursued an early morning sports course and classroom instruction with a close look at the national culture of the host city. Attendees partook in the holiday of Sabantuy, the region’s national festival which marks the end of the spring crop planting. Held in the main square of the Universiade Village where the participants are staying, the attendees sang Tatar national songs, danced to folk music and tried out traditional Sabantuy contests.
"Celebrating Sabantuy was a great idea,” said Vampa Augustin, a participant from Argentina. “We were able to get to know the Tatar culture and learn its conventions and customs. This will help us to better understand Kazan and Tatarstan. In fact, before the forum I had a very vague idea about where Kazan was situated, who the Tatars are, and about Russia in general. I'm lucky to be here now.
“We need to network more, this is the only way to break down stereotypes and put an end to the confrontations. The events such as the FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy and sports volunteering in general are a great help in doing it", Augustin continued.
With education the core component of the academy, expert instructors led courses on adding value and benchmarking best practice when networking and when preparing to make effective presentations. Courses also considered ways for young professionals just launching their careers to further develop the skills that will make them employable.
These courses dug into the key themes unearthed during a day one panel discussion with FISU President Oleg Matytsin, FISU Secretary General Eric Saintrond and Olympic figure skating champion Alexey Yagudin.
“Who, if not you?” Yagudin asked the participants about who would lead. “When, if not now? I was not born an Olympic champion. I had to work. It’s this work that brought me to the podium.”
Added Yagudin: Oleg, Eric, and I, we want to work together with you to change what is happening around us. Thank you so much for choosing this life and making this movement a part of your life.”
The inaugural FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy 2017 international forum is taking place in Kazan, hosted by the Volga State Academy of Sport and Tourism. Having begun on July 2, the forum will run until July 8.
For more information:
Contact: Anna Manuelian
Email: anna@jtassocs.com
Telephone: +41 (0) 78 630 6127