Over 300 employees of Kazan Universiade to work at Sochi Olympics

According to Azat Kadyrov, the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate's experience of staging the 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013 was highly commended by international and national experts, that's why at the stage of preparations for the World University Games the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan signed a cooperation agreement under which the Universiade personnel will be recruited to work at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"In December 2012 we have begun a joint work with the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee to recruit regular and temporary staff of the Kazan 2013 Directorate for the Olympics. During this time, we have held a number of meetings and presentations, three job fairs, and webinars with representatives of various functional areas of the Olympics that seek personnel," said Azat Kadyrov.

To date, more than 300 former regular and temporary staff members of the Executive Directorate are employed across a variety of positions at the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee. The largest number of employees are involved in such areas as venue management, accreditation centre, transport, Olympic Village, IT, protocol, food and beverages, event services, press operations, sports programme.

The former Kazan 2013 staff members are assigned to venues in two clusters: Coastal and Mountain. Most of the staff work at the Mountain Cluster venues: Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort, RusSki Gorki Jumping Centre and Sanki Sliding Centre.

In the Coastal Cluster, the majority of the ex-Kazan 2013 employees help make the Games happen at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, Iceberg Skating Palace and Shayba Arena.

Plus, the former Universiade personnel work at such key non-competition venues as the Olympic Village, Main Media Centre and Main Operations Centre, and hold senior management positions across a number of functional areas in the OC Office. 

As you know, Kazan 2013 volunteers largely contributed to the Universiade's success, and now they are given the opportunity to take part in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 342 volunteers aged 18 to 80 years will represent the Republic of Tatarstan at the Olympics. The main functional areas where the volunteers will offer their support are Ceremonies and IT; in addition, small groups of volunteers will take up such positions as Olympic Family assistants, sports programme volunteers and medical volunteers. All the volunteers have expertise in their respective fields. Each of them received volunteer training at the Kazan Universiade, was sucessfully shortlisted by the Sochi 2014 OC and went through appropriate training.

"We see our volunteers' involvement in the Olympics as another opportunity to strengthen our human resources because most of the Olympic volunteers will be subsequently brought in to work at the 2015 FINA World Championships and all major international tournaments preceding the main event. That is why the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan adopted a resolution to refund volunteers the costs of travelling to Sochi and back," said Azat Kadyrov.

Another major project that the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan entrusted the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate with is participation in the exposition of Russian regions in the Sochi 2014 Olympic Park. The Olympic Park is the central venue, which will unite all the sports and hospitality facilities of the upcoming 2014 Olympic Games.

Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Olympic Park will host the exposition of Russian regions. The project was created by the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee and will allow the participants and visitors the Games to get acquainted with the cultural and ethnical diversity of Russia and the touristic attractiveness of its regions. Tatarstan is the principal subject of the Volga Federal District, responsible for organising the exhibition on behalf of VFD.

The Volga Federal District exhibition will have a floor area of 560 square metres. Its main ideas will be culture and traditions, tourist destinations, sporting achievements of the district's regions.

The exhibition of the Volga Federal District will represent an integral cultural space which will smoothly combine regions and republics of the district. Each visitor will be able to make an interactive tour of all 14 regions of the district.

The regions' promotional videos will be played on a large display screen set up in the Volga Federal District exhibition area. In addition, visitors will receive gifts and souvenirs and experience the true Russian hospitality.

The exposition will be open during the Olympic and Paralympic Games and is to be remembered by foreign visitor as one of the brightest highlights of the Games.

The Cultural Universiade Legacy will be offered to the Olympic audience alongside the rich Cultural Olympiad programme. Best ensembles of the Republic of Tatarstan, who became winners of competitions and auditions of the Sochi 2014 cultural programme, will perform during the cultural events of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi. Among them are the State Song and Dance Ensemble of the Republic of Tatarstan, Progulschiki rock band, Dilirium art lab (fire and fireworks show), Dzhenazi show group (fire and light show), Maria Malkova and other artists.

Azat Kadyrov also added that a presentation of the 2015 FINA World Championships will be held for non-accredited journalists in the RIA Novosti International Multimedia Press Centre on February 17. The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Russia's Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko will take part in the event.

"We will brief foreign and Russian media on key aspects of preparations for the championships, Kazan's sports legacy and prospects for the city's development as one of the top sporting cities of the world," said Azat Kadyrov.