Italiano
A meaningful ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this afternoon at the “Flag Plaza”, in Piazzale Razzi at Stazione Marittima, for the official opening of Naples Athletes’ Village, which will host almost 4.000 guests, among athletes and delegates, on MSC Lirica and Costa Victoria cruise ships – 150 guests are already on board- during the 30th Summer Universiade. The ceremony was attended by over 100 institutional authorities and a delegation from the Italian Armed Forces and State Corps. The members of the Port Authority have raised the Italian and the FISU flags, while the Carabinieri brass band played their respective anthems. Attending the event: Vincenzo De Luca, President of Regione Campania, Oleg Matytsin, President of FISU, Gianluca Basile, Napoli 2019 Extraordinary Commissioner, Luigi de Magistris, Mayor of Naples, and Lorenzo Lentini, President of CUSI, who extended their greetings. Manuela Di Centa, Olympic champion and Coordinator of sports institutional relations for Napoli 2019, has been appointed ‘mayor’ of the Athletes’ Village.
The ceremony included celebrative and institutional moments: the opening featured an acrobatic show performed by “Sonic” company, an elegant reference to the main themes of Neapolitan tradition, while the closing was animated by the kids of the “Mart Dance” Neapolitan dancing school – with a choreography directed by Maestro Marco Auggiero – on the notes of “Glory”, official song of the 30th Summer Universiade written by the local composer Stefano Gargiulo, which has already become the event’s theme song. “The effort put into the event’s organization was immense – said President De Luca – I am sure we will be able to show to the world the most beautiful image of Campania region. We have the best conditions to organize a great event dedicated to sports and above all- he added – to friendship and dialogue among peoples.” Commissioner Basile reminded: “I took office on July 26th 2018 and the first thing we made was confirming the two cruise ships, otherwise hosting the Universiade would have been impossible. Now that the ships are here, the Universiade truly begins”.