Universiade Closes in Shenzhen

There are rounds of Mexican waves warming up the Window of the World, a theme park here in Shenzhen, which is also the main stadium for the closing ceremony of the Shenzhen 2011 Universiade.

At 8:00 PM Tuesday night when the lights dimmed, 500 performers ran to the stage to present the theme of the closing ceremony: "Shenzhen Party". Performers threw sachets, embroiled silk balls and Chinese knots to the spectator area as the first chapter concluded in rounds of applauds.

Following performances also included tap dancing in the Tibetan, Irish and American styles; while the closing ceremony also saw Chinese cultural heritage, with Peking opera, acrobatics performances and martial arts unfolding on the stage.

The closing ceremony also dedicated a special session to thank representatives from the volunteer teams: media, security and also (most importantly), the hosting city of Shenzhen.

The hosting city for the 2013 Universiade, Kazan in the Russia Federation, staged a 10-minute long performance shortly after the FISU flag handover ceremony.

The ceremony is reckoned to be a major breakthrough in the history of Universiade, because this is the first time that such a closing ceremony has been held outside the main stadium.

The organizers had promised a ceremony that is "simple in style but fancy in content". The 48-hectare miniature world had undergone a revamp for the event.

The venue also has 6 giant gates symbolizing the cradles of the world's ancient civilizations, and a magnificent stage for the artists around the world.

More than 4,000 athletes and administrative staff from five continents found familiar cultural icons from their home countries and elsewhere in this 'mini world' of beautiful natural scenery and cultural heritage.

Starting August 12, Shenzhen 2011 Universiade attracted more than 7500 athletes from 152 countries and regions around the world.