Kazan, July 4 – The FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy is where sport, education and culture all come together to build the leaders of tomorrow.

 

The second day of the academy lived up to this and the FISU motto of pursuing “Excellence in Mind and Body” as the 110 participants from 91 countries pursued an early morning sports course and classroom instruction with a close look at the national culture of the host city. Attendees partook in the holiday of Sabantuy, the region’s national festival marking the end of the spring crop planting. Held in the main square of the Universiade Village – the place of accommodation for the participants – the attendees sang Tatar national songs, danced to folk music and tried out traditional Sabantuy contests.

 The Sabantyi Festival was a hit with the Academy attendees

 “Celebrating Sabantuy was a great idea,” said Vampa Augustin, a participant from Argentina.

 

“We were able to get to know better the Tatar culture, learned its cultural conventions and customs. This will help us to understand better Kazan and Tatarstan. In fact, before the forum I had a very vague idea about where Kazan was situated, who the Tatars are, and about Russia in all. I’m lucky to be here now.

 

“We need to network more, this is the only way to break down stereotypes and put an end to the confrontations. The events such as FISU Volunteers Leaders Academy and sports volunteering in general are a great help in doing it.”

 

With education the core component of the academy, expert instructors led courses on the value and best practices when networking, the art of preparation in making effective presentations, and ways for young professionals just launching their careers to stay on top of the skills that will be them employable.

 

These courses dug into the key themes unearthed during a day one panel discussion with FISU President Oleg Matytsin, FISU Secretary General Eric Saintrond and Olympic figure skating champion Alexey Yagudin.

 FISU Secretary General Eric Saintrond acknowledges a warm reception from the young leaders during the panel discussion. (PC: ANO Directorate for Sports and Social Project)

“Who, if not you?” Yagudin asked the participants about who would lead. “When, if not now? I was not born an Olympic champion. I had to work. It’s this work that brought me to the podium.”

 

Added Yagudin: Oleg, Eric, and I, we want to work together with you to change what it happening around us. Thank you so much for choosing this life and making this movement a part of your life.”

Alexey Yagudin welcomes the President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, to the FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy on Monday.