United World Games
The United World Games (UWG) are among the largest multi-sport youth events in Europe and are under the patronage of UNESCO . The focus of these games of international friendship is the cultural exchange through sport, in which the participating young people are given the opportunity to get to know each other away from the sports facilities.
The UWG take place annually in June in Carinthia , the southernmost state of Austria. The center of the games is Klagenfurt , the main venue is the Klagenfurt Wörtherseestadion .
Concept & vision
The UWG are a celebration of sport and exchange, participation in the event is possible for all young people worldwide and is not restricted by qualifications or eliminations. The games are characterized by respect, sportsmanship, fair play and a healthy lifestyle through sport, to which children and young people are encouraged by the event. The common love for sport is a unifying element and should help to break down prejudices and build bridges.
In 2018, the UWG took place for the 14th time, and for the first time more than 10,000 participants were welcomed in Carinthia. Year after year, young people from over 30 nations who are enthusiastic about sports take part in the games and now compete in 13 different sports: basketball , ice hockey , curling , field hockey , floorball , football , handball , athletics , orienteering , rugby , swimming , tennis , volleyball .
In addition to the sporting competitions, there is an extensive supporting program at the games, which is intended to offer participants the opportunity to get to know and exchange ideas away from the field. In addition to the big opening ceremony with a march of nations and various show acts, there is, for example, a so-called Oktoberfest, at which the young people can get to know Austrian folk culture such as yodelling , Schuhplattln and traditional Austrian costume clothing, or a farewell party, at which there is a barbecue on the banks of Lake Wörthersee .
The organizing committee defines the vision of the games on the official homepage of the event as follows: "It is our vision to bring young people from all over the world together through their shared passion for sport. The UNITED WORLD GAMES, with their unique atmosphere, are intended to provide unforgettable moments for our participants The games should focus on the joy of sport and the open coexistence of cultures. "
history
The United World Games were first held in 2005 in Klagenfurt , Austria . In the first edition, 1,300 young people from twelve nations took part in the games, with three international tournaments in the sports of soccer , volleyball and basketball on the program.
In 2007 the games were played at two locations for the first time, in Klagenfurt and Vienna . Sports swimming , wrestling , tennis , bowling and baseball have been added to the program . About 1000 participants came from the USA, who were looked after by former Olympic champions Rulon Gardner and Kirsty Coventry in the run-up to the Games . A total of around 5000 athletes of both sexes took part.
In 2008 the games returned to Klagenfurt, with more than 3000 participants from 25 nations taking part from June 19-22, 2008.
A year later - at the UWG 2009, which took place from June 18 to 21 - another 3,000 athletes from 20 nations made the pilgrimage to Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. The focus of these games was the prevention of doping and the education of the young participants about the dangers of doping.
The United World Games 2010 were held again in Klagenfurt from June 17-20, 2010, with athletes from India among the more than 3000 participants for the first time.
The UWG 2011 took place from June 23rd to 26th (Klagenfurt) with international tournaments in soccer, basketball, volleyball, handball, fistball and tennis and a total of 4,000 participants from 29 nations. Nations like Israel and Iceland were there for the first time.
The United World Games 2012 (June 21 to 24, 2012) brought more than 4,500 participants. With Indonesia, Canada and Palestine, three new nations were again at the start.
In 2013 there were almost 6,000 athletes who took part in the games, and international tournaments in rugby and field hockey were also held for the first time .
The organizers were able to post another record of participants at the UWG 2014 when the 6,000 mark was broken. Once again, some new nations were welcomed to the Games, such as South Africa and Luxembourg. There were innovations and improvements both in the various tournaments and away from the sports facilities. Tournament management, side events and supporting program items such as the grand opening ceremony were professionalized and expanded.
In 2015, the event took place from June 18th to 21st, the venue was once again the Austrian city of Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. With orienteering , a new sport was introduced to the UWG in 2015.
In 2016 the games took place from June 16-19.
Since it was founded, around 36,000 young athletes from 38 nations have participated in the United World Games.
future
In 2019 the United World Games will celebrate their 15th anniversary, the games will take place from June 20-23.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ United World Games. Retrieved July 20, 2018 .
- ^ United World Games. In: unitedworldgames.com. Retrieved June 15, 2016 . In 2019, the games will take place in Klagenfurt from June 20 to 23 .