FISU Secretary General/CEO Eric Saintrond and Minister of State of Sport Orlando Silva signing the agreement
In 2006, FISU signed an agreement with Virtual Promotions, Ltd. to develop a pioneering online enterprise – known as FISU Web Games – in order to create the biggest ever global communication initiative orientated to the university segment.
Current Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, had expressed his total and explicit support to this ground-breaking venture, transforming this initiative into reality on the 29th July 2009, with the official constitution of the project partnership between the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and the Ministry of Sports of the Brazilian Government.
This official act, that was overseen by the Minister of State of Sports Orlando Silva, the CBDU President and FISU Vice-president Luciano Cabral, FISU General-Secretary / CEO Eric Saintrond and Virtual Promotions, Ltd.project manager Jorge Ramos, was followed by the project unveiling of the FISU Web Games online portal that will offer entertainment, information and services.
From left to right: Eric Saintrond, Jorge Ramos (Virtual Promotions President), Orlando Silva and Luciano Cabral (CBDU President)
The main goal of the initiative is to generate essential financial resources to develop the world of university sports, through its own entities – FISU, its 153 national university sports federation members and approximately 60 thousand universities around the world.
This will be achieved by hosting international online sport competitions among university students – online leisure and knowledge videogames, and arts & cultural promotions.
An estimated total of 140 million students are expected to join this online initiative. The pilot test is scheduled for the second trimester of 2010 in 8 Portuguese speaking countries, running simultaneously for 90 days across 4 continents – South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Representatives of Virtual Promotions with CBDU and FISU
FISU Secretary General/CEO, Eric Saintrond (left) and Orlando Silva, Minister of State of Sport