Chengdu Universiade | A sunny gift to young dream chasers

CHENGDU, July 28 (Xinhua) -- For Chen Weiya, the chief director of the 31st FISU World University Games opening ceremony, the streamlined yet grandiose event was a heartening gift to all those in pursuit of dreams, including himself.

The Chengdu Universiade was officially declared open on Friday night at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Stadium. The ceremony drew inspiration from the Sun and Immortal Birds Gold Ornament, the logo of China Cultural Heritage as well as a symbol of the ancient local Shu civilization and the Tianfu culture.

The ceremony exuded an aura of sunshine, with this core creative element running throughout. The 12 golden sun rays, four immortal birds, ignition device, flame tower, countdown fireworks, athletes' march, arrival of the FISU flag, gala performance, cauldron lighting, and the finale all echoed the vibrant theme.

"During our discussions, we unanimously agreed to present a 'sunny' opening ceremony to the global university athletes, as people in Chengdu have a special affinity for sunshine," said Chen.

With the theme of "Make Dreams Come True," the opening ceremony sought to portray an event where global university students gather in Chengdu to revel in sports and realize their dreams under the sun.

"The strict time limit posed one of the most significant challenges," Chen revealed. The entire ceremony had to be run within 100 minutes.

"Given that the university students are the centerpiece, we wanted to allocate most of the time to them," Chen noted.

As the highlight of the ceremony, the athletes' march boasted the most participants, longest duration, and the most diverse elements. This parade directly encapsulated the critical role of university students and symbolized "unity, friendship, youth, and vitality."

As the delegations paraded, the pass extended into the distance, adorned with Sichuan brocade patterns, symbolizing a path of dreams leading to a promising future.

"This is the university athletes' Games; they should be the first to enjoy the stage and the audience's applause," Chen added.

With all necessary segments accounted for, only 15 minutes remained for the gala performance.

Chen and his team embraced the motto "make every minute splendid, make every second count" to ensure the performance was memorable.

Centered around the theme of "young dream chasers," Chen dedicated the performance to all dream chasers, not just the young ones.

"Not only are the university students dream chasers, but so am I. It felt like the sunshine was always ahead, which inspired me greatly," Chen revealed.

Having been the chief director of the 2001 Beijing World University Games' opening ceremony, Chen felt his pursuit of dreams started over two decades ago.

"Dream chasing is never easy. I've tasted both bitterness and happiness, but the most appealing aspect is that the youth never cease their exploration, always daring to innovate and ascend to the peak," Chen added.