2008 WUC Wrestling: Closing Ceremony
July 14th, 2008
Yesterday, July 13, the Closing Ceremony of the 8th World University Wrestling Championship 2008, hosted in Thessaloniki, Greece, took place at 08:00 pm in the Alexandrio Melathro palace sport. The 8th World University Wrestling Championship 2008 has been organized by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki which is the largest university in Greece. The Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and President of the Organising Committee, Prof. Anastasios Manthos,.declared the official closing of the 8th World University Wrestling Championship 2008. Mr Augustin Milan, Winter Universiade Director of FISU received the FISU flag for the next championship. After the protocol part of the Closing Ceremony, a cultural program followed with modern Greek music and dance.
Professor Anastasios Manthos, President of the Organising Committee
Extract of the speech of Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor Anastasios Manthos, President of the Organising Committee: “The circle of the 8th World University Wrestling Championship is about to close. We had five wonderful, excited, and functional days, during which all participants were valuable contributors, depositors of struggle, servants of morality, and winners in the track of athletic spirit. We are so pleased and fulfilled, because our program and all of our scheduled events, were carried out completely, successfully, and uneventfully. All of our supportive units functioned efficiently, timely, speedily and inaudibly. Your struggle, as fighters for the knowledge and strivers for the athletic idea, was the main and unique content of this noble organization. I have the feeling that our wish, expressed during the inauguration, for the Greek hospitality to find its way, and be experienced by all of you, finally was more or less fulfilled, and that besides participation, you enjoyed Thessaloniki, our capital of Macedonia province of Greece, and its historical milestones, like Vergina, at the tomb of Philippe, the father of Alexander the Great, as well as the beautiful beach of our campus in Halkidiki. Before this event becomes entirely a remembrance and a FISU historical event, in my capacity as Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and from this position, I would like to thank FISU, for the trust, the great honor, and the nice chance that provided to us. We express our warm thanks to the co-organizers and the participants, which are the General Secretariat for Athletics of our Ministry of Civilization, the Athletic Committee of the Ministry of Education and Religious affairs, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and the Greek Wrestling Federation. We warmly thank all the members of the Executive Committee, which was coordinated and functioned effectively and successfully. Deep gratitude is due to all the supportive teams and volunteers, that so impulsively and wholeheartedly offered their very fully effective services. I would like to warmly congratulate all persons, in any capacity, that came here in Thessaloniki, and by their valuable and successful contribution, made this event, not only possible, but functionally faultless and ethically immaculate. Concluding this short address, regarding the closure of the 8th World University Wrestling Championship, I would like to thank you all for your participation, in any way, to assure you that these moments, that we all shared, are valuable and memorable, and to wish to all of you, to be healthy wrestlers of mind, of dignity and of athletics, until we meet again”.
The volunteers
Mr. Ibrahim Cicioglu, FISU Chair of the Technical Committee for Wrestling
Extract of the speech of Mr. Ibrahim Cicioglu, FISU Chair of the Technical Committee for Wrestling: “ It is a great pleasure for me to stay at this stage and deliver to all of you magnificent Thanks from the President of the International University Sport Federation Mr. George Killian for an excellent preparation of the 8th World University Wrestling Championship 2008 which was running smoothly. When I came here I knew that Thessaloniki, the capital of the Makethonia province of Greece, is a wonderful place but I did not know that here I will meet so kindly and friendly people who proved again all around the world their knowledge and a lot of experiences to organize international events on a high level. Wrestling becomes a more and more popular sport in the students family and we have seen very exciting duels of more than 250 athletes from 30 participating countries in this beautiful arena named Alexandrio Melathron of Thessaloniki. Of course as always we must have winners and we must have also losers, but for all of them the FISU anthem was played as a sign of honor, glory and friendship among all students. All winners deserve the great Congratulation, showing us excellent performances and we can look forward to see some of them at the upcoming Olympic Games. The Sense and motto “we wrestle for you” of this World University Wrestling Championship was reached by all participants and Organizers to the full point, where free atmosphere dominated, entertainment alternated with fair-play and professional approach to the competition. Dear Friends, on behalf of the International University Sports Federation, I would like to warmly thank all members of the Organizing Committee, the Hellenic Committee for University Sports, FISU CISCA members, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles and the Greek National Wrestling Federation, all Referees and last but not least all Volunteers of A.U.TH. for their hard work and the great hospitality during the 8th World University Wrestling Championship. Thanks to all of you”.
Mr Augustin Milan, FISU Director of the Winter Universiade received the FISU flag form the Rector of A.U.TH., Prof. Anastasios Manthos, for the next Championship
