The last preparation phase for the biggest multi-sport event in the history of Croatia was symbolically marked by revealing the countdown clocks for the beginning of the European Universities Games in Zagreb – Rijeka 2016 (EUG 2016).
There are only 143 days until the opening of the Games and the preparations are in full swing. There is no doubt that this great two-week event will bring together more than 5,000 student athletes from all over Europe and present summer in Croatia as a summer to remember.
Tonight’s ceremonies started at the same time in Zagreb and Rijeka. From today, Ban Jelacic Square in Zagreb and the Korzo promenade in Rijeka will be exhibiting new impressive installations, reminding all citizens that the Games are getting closer.
The Minister of Science, Education and Sports Predrag Sustar, Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandic, the rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras, the Presidental envoy Tomislav Madzar and president of the European Universities Games 2016 Zrinko Custonja held short welcome speeches and introduced the Games to the gathered citizens. With the help of our dear volunteers, they also had the honour to start the countdown clocks. At the same time, the Mayor of Rijeka Vojko Obersnel, the vice-rector of the University of Rijeka Snjezana Prijic Samardzija and the vice-president of the European Universities Games 2016 Haris Pavletic started the countdown clock in Rijeka.
The official mascot of EUG 2016, hamster Hrki, had the indispensable role in raising up the atmosphere with the help of many student volunteers who turned the square and promenade into a big sports ground. In fact, the presented sports are just part of 21 different sports to be held at the Games that will be opened on July 13th 2016.
The countdown clocks represent the logo of the Games, as well as the slogan “Heart believes – mind achieves”. From this moment, they will become an inevitable attraction of the two host cities and a permanent reminder of this outstanding sports event.
Under this occasion, the organizers have invited all interested citizens to involve in the successful implementation of the Games and pointed out that the registrations for volunteering will last until April 1st 2016. There is still room for new registrations as it will take up to two thousand volunteers for the successful organization and implementation of the Games. Application forms and additional information can be found at http://eug2016.com/volunteer/.
