Chengdu Open Air Music Park, location for the closing ceremony of the 31st International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. /CFP
The 31st International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games will come to an end in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Tuesday. As the directors of the closing ceremony, Jia Ding and Wei Sijia, gave some spoilers in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).
Both Jia and Ding said they got their inspirations from the Universiade host city Chengdu, in its daily life and culture among other things. That's why the two want to make the closing ceremony a carnival full of fun and youthfulness.
The ceremony will happen at the Chengdu Open Air Music Park, marking the first time for a major international sports event to move the opening or the closing ceremony out of stadium.
Jia Ding, director of the closing ceremony. /CFP
Jia believes that putting the closing ceremony in the open air is key to making the Chengdu Universiade innovative in an unconventional way: There will be no stadium, no ground screen and no projection.
Wei told CMG that he wants to make the closing ceremony a relaxing event for every spectator to both enjoy and become part of it. Moreover, he and Jia have hidden various "credit cookies" in the ceremony.
For example, an autostereoscopic Davidia involucrate (also known as "Dove Tree") will grow on the stage high to the air in an explosive way as both an expression of exuberant vitality and a climax of the closing ceremony. When the flags of all delegations assemble on the stage, the flowers of the tree will blossom, like doves spread the wishes for peace in the air.
Wei Sijia, another director of the closing ceremony. /CFP
A CMG studio will be placed on the stage to display bullets and likes sent by audience around the world as part of the ceremony. Meanwhile, Jia and Wei will have a "Universiade Stringer" to control a camera as the essence of the event. Wei promised that everybody will be amazed by the moment when the Stringer appears.
A total of 31 cellphone screens will be added to the closing ceremony, according to Wei, to display the latest conditions of the spectators. Jia plans to make the closing ceremony a grand musical that includes touching stories, life-like characters and true emotions. There will be no chapters or tropes, but a complete system made of acappella music, Jia told CMG.
The closing ceremony on Tuesday night will be about 70 minutes and compose of parts. The two directors said that it will be both a perfect period for the Chengdu Universiade and a great start for the future.