Chengdu marks one-year countdown to 2021 Universiade

The one-year countdown celebration for the 31st Summer World University Games, or Universiade, kicked off in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan province on Tuesday.

The countdown ceremony featured the unveiling of a University Games AI satellite, which is expected to be launched in early 2021 to provide satellite internet products and services for the Games and the city.

The satellite is the first designed for a sports event, and marks the first time that satellite internet will be widely used in a world-class comprehensive sports event.

The official key visual design of the Universiade was also unveiled at the opening ceremony.

Meanwhile, 212 invitation letters were sent to encourage nations to send their athletes to next year’s Games in the Chinese city, including 48 to Europe, 45 to Africa, 39 to Asia, 31 to America, 11 to Oceania, and 38 to non-member states of the International University Sports Federation.

The invitation letters carried the tournament slogan “Chengdu Makes Dreams Come True” and fully demonstrates the competitive spirit of sports events and Chengdu’s status as an emerging new first-tier city that is also attracting youth from around the world.