TRENTINO – The Winter Universiade is 200 days away. The Trentino local government, in order to warranty the best support to the organisation of the WU, has approved the operational plan allocating financial, human and working resources. The undertaken measures proposed by the Provincial Minister to Education and Sports, Marta Dalmaso, appointed to the WU Organising Committee a budget amounting to €3.5M.
From 11 to 22 December 2013 Trentino will host the 26th WU. This event will have a worldwide audience thanks to international network broadcasting. The total budget of the WU is of €15M; anyway, in order to overcome the current spending review undergoing in the Autonomous Province of Trento, the total budget has been covered thanks to different contributors such as relevant sponsors and the University of Trento, that has started research projects, internships and contracts aimed at students supporting the Organising Committee.
Further resources will be provided by the local body through its subsidiary companies such as Trentino Trasporti (dealing with transportation issues) or by Protezione Civile (civil defence), Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale (Trentino’s health care authority), as well as by the road service department. Moreover, the Organising Committee is involving in the organisation of the WU also the territories hosting the competitions.
Crowdfunding is another source of financial support; a dedicate platform will be soon opened in order to allow a bottom-up approach for people willing to fund this international event.
Last but not least, it has to be underlined the outcomes of the satellite activities produced by the event itself attracting athletes and technicians participating in the Universiade, such as those involving hosting facilities.
Further in-kind contributions, thus not financial but service and work resources, will be provided by Opera Universitaria, which in San Bartolameo’s district will provide 100 accommodations for technicians and volunteers. The same district will host the headquarters of the Organising Committee, press and TV centre, as well as the accreditation centre and the storehouses.
In order to assure the best possible results for the WU, the Autonomous Province of Trento and the University of Trento appointed mainly, as much as possible, their best professionals for supporting the organisation of the event. Some 1,300 University students and Trentino civil society staff will work for the event as volunteers. High schools and professional schools have been involved in the project as well as security force and firefighters. A first example of the interaction between the WU and Trentino will be the info-point to be activated during and within the upcoming Trento Festival of Economics.
(Source: Trentino WUOC)
