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Danilo Ikodinovic
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Water polo Player and Olympic Medalist
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I watch the water polo tournament. Based on what I have read in the papers and seen on TV, it seems that the Universiade in Belgrade is quite a success. This is very nice, the biggest sports event ever held in our country. It’s brilliant!
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Viktor Savić
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actor
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Belgrade full of young people who practice something as healthy as sport - it is not easy to imagine a more beautiful picture. I am sure that this will be a great opportunity for us to send good messages to the world and for young people in Belgrade to meet their peers from many countries face to face. Enough reasons to strongly support the Universiade and all competitors.
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Ivan Zeljković
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TV host
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Serbia should be very proud to host such an important sports event as the 25th Summer Universiade, the biggest in history. Our people are eager to prove themselves, broaden their horizons, make new friendships and Universiade will help them to do it, as there will be over 12,000 athletes from 170 countries and even more people who follow global sports events. I was at the 1987 Zagreb Universiade. It is great that Belgrade will be the host next year because all of us, and particularly our 10,000 volunteers, will have an opportunity to show that we are excellent organizers, as well as people with a big smile and even bigger heart.
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Jevgenij Plušenko
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Olympic champion in figure skating
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Volunteers at the Eurosong are great young people. They helped me a lot and made us all feel great. I know that Belgrade will host the Universiade next year, and although I have many obligations, trainings and competitions, I will do my best to visit Belgrade in July next year.
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Zvonimir Đukić Đule
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musician
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At last we will have a great occasion to meet the world eye-to-eye and show what great hosts we are. I know what it means for the young to expand their horizons by meeting people from other countries and I believe that this will be a great experience. Besides, I am sure there are many young people around the world who are eager to come and see Serbia. Only in this way they can really get to know us and I am sure they will carry with them much nicer images than those seen in the media.
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Marija Savić Srećković
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World Champion in fitness and fitness instructor
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After almost three decades in sports - first gymnastics and then fitness - I am sure that the biggest prizes I've got, apart from excellent physical and mental condition and from numerous medals, have been experiences from many journeys, companionship and unforgettable moments I have shared with the athletes from the whole world. The time spent beyond the arenas, when rivalry disappears and only friendships remains is as important as competition events themselves. 2009 Universiade will show not only that Serbia has brilliant young talents, but also a host capable to offer a memorable experience.
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Dejan Cukić
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musician
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I am excited by the fact that my town will host such an important gathering of young, healthy and intelligent people from around the world. I am sure that Belgrade will be enriched by the huge energy of differences that will flood it in July 2009, not to mention the infrastructure that could decisively contribute to the development of the county's new sports talents. I am also convinced that all those who visit Belgrade during the Universiade will be pleasantly surprised by the unconditional hospitality of the eternal crossroad of rivers, roads and civilizations. We are waiting for you!
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Nenad Nenadović
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actor
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There is no better way to show to the world who we are and what we are like than to welcome young athletes from around the world. As an actor and the selector of a children's theatre festival I have often participated in international gatherings and I know what such events mean to all who have the chance to meet people and cultures of other countries. As a father of two little girls, I am thinking about their future and happy that they will have the chance to practice sports and make friendships in new and renovated venues. And I also hope that we, the adults, will be able to transmit to them the real sport spirit and to offer them an opportunity to proudly say that their city hosted a Universiade.
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Ivana Zarić
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TV author
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o host such a big sports event is certainly a great privilege for the whole country. I do not have any doubts that the organization of competitions will be excellent, but I would also like that each of us understands this event as an opportunity to show to all our visitors that we have deserved this privilege. What also makes me happy is the fact that during the Universiade Belgrade will speak all world languages and that our young people will find new friends among participants and visitors of the Games. In my opinion, these are by far the best diplomatic activities.
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Nikola Kojo
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actor
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I think that for our young people - who, regretfully, have no many occasions to travel abroad - each possibility to meet their peers from other countries and become acquainted with various cultures and values is priceless. They will exchange experiences, but also addresses. In this way our young people will have someone close abroad, someone to who they might write, who they might call and who they might consider a friend. It may sound as a platitude, but I sincerely believe that the best investment is an investment in people, particularly those at the beginning of their careers. Thus I see the Universiade in Belgrade as a sound basis for our future relations with the world.
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Bilja Krstić
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musician
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Traveling around the world with my band "Bistrik", participating in many important festivals and music fairs, I understood how important it is to meet other people and cultures, to make friends. So I am very happy that next year at the Universiade Belgrade will be a meeting place for 12,000 athletes from 170 countries, a place where different cultures, religions, customs and languages will get together... Young athletes, a whole city in a city, two beautiful rivers, Usce, Kalemegdan, Kosutnjak, Gardos, Saint Sava Temple... Belgrade will really be the centre of the world. Good luck!
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Voja Nedeljković
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TV author
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The forthcoming Universiade is a unique chance for Belgrade to affirm itself as a good host. Considering the circumstances in this country during the last twenty years or so, and all the misfortunes its inhabitants - particularly the young - met with, this is a great opportunity to show our capacities as organizers, hosts and sportsmen, as well as our serenity and culture. Universiada is also an opportunity for our youth to learn something about different cultures and customs, and break the taboos imposed on them, whether intentionally or not, in the previous years. Thanks to sport, in these summer days of 2009, Belgrade will be the capital of the world. Let us look forward to these joyful moments of sportsmanship and companionship that will show the real Serbia: cordial, smiling and combative in sports. Good luck to our sportsmen!
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Ashok Murty
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stylist
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For me there is no doubt as to whether the Universiade is the best thing that could happen to our country. In my opinion, it is the only sports event that has maintained at least the idea of optimism. On the other hand, it is a unique occasion to present ourselves as we really are. After so many years of isolation, young people, members of a generation that grew up without normal contacts with the world, are now having a unique opportunity to see themselves as an integral part of the world. Belgrade will show that it is a cosmopolitan town, and not merely a spot on the map.
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Maja Japundža - Nikolić
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TV host
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I hope that Belgrade Universiade will bring a feeling of togetherness, that we will all be united by good energy and a wish to be excellent hosts. I would recommend to all young people to become volunteers for this is an extraordinary opportunity to learn many things and make friendships with peers from many countries. I also hope that the city authorities will do all they can to make Belgrade shine. Signs in all streets to help our guests find their way, and flowers everywhere – thus Universiade will become a part of our best memories.
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Igor Blažić - Blaža
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musician
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I belong to a generation that was imbued by sports. For me the sport was the beginning and the end of every day. So I hope that Universiade in Belgrade will reintroduce sports into the life of young people
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Eni Lorak
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Ukraninian participant at the ESC in Belgrade
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Unbelievable! I could not imagine that the volunteers at the Eurosong will be so helpful. They were really fantastic, always at our service, always smiling. Thank you!
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Iva Štrljić
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actress
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Serbia should be very proud to host such an important sports event as the 25th Summer Universiade, the biggest in history. Our people are eager to prove themselves, broaden their horizons, make new friendships and Universiade will help them to do it, as there will be over 12,000 athletes from 170 countries and even more people who follow global sports events. I was at the 1987 Zagreb Universiade. It is great that Belgrade will be the host next year because all of us, and particularly our 10,000 volunteers, will have an opportunity to show that we are excellent organizers, as well as people with a big smile and even bigger heart.
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Jelena Tomašević
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Serbian representative at ESC
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Volunteers at the Eurosong are great young people. They helped me a lot and made us all feel great. I know that Belgrade will host the Universiade next year, and although I have many obligations, trainings and competitions, I will do my best to visit Belgrade in July next year.
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Mladen Popović
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play writer and ESC commentator
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Unbelievable! I could not imagine that the volunteers at the Eurosong will be so helpful. They were really fantastic, always at our service, always smiling. Thank you!
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Jasna Šekarić
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Serbian flag carrier at the Olympics in Beijing
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So far I have not participated in the Universiade, but I promise to be at the Universiade in Belgrade. At last I will take part in the international university summer games. True, I will not be on the fire line, but I will stand by our young competitors and do my best to encourage them. The most important thing for them is self-confidence, the rest will come with time and practice. Hosting the Universiade is a great opportunity and honour for our country. We have always been short of adequate sports venues. Now old venues will be reconstructed and new one built. I am happy to see that the whole country is living for this project.
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Vanja Udovičić
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Olympic waterpolo player
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Contacts and exchange with other people are among the greatest treasures of each human being. Meeting different people, different cultures and ways of life makes us richer and wiser. The Universiade to be held in Belgrade next year will be an opportunity for us to broaden our horizons and learn many things about the world
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Živko Gocić
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water polo player, bronze medal winner at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008
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As a participant in the 2001 Universiade in Beijing, I know that the objective of this event is to promote healthy life and chivalry, sport in its original form. Besides, the competitions give athletes the opportunity to create new friendships, learn about interesting features of different countries, cities. I have brought with myself outstanding experiences from the greatest sports events and wish all young athletes to have as many such experiences as possible.
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Lena Bogdanović
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actress
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A great sports event and arrival of many young people are excellent for the city, our country and young people who will really experience the world during these days. I am sure that preparations and the event itself will create a great atmosphere and show that we, as hosts, can handle the organization of the largest events.
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Jelena Nikolić
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member of the Serbian national volleyball team
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Without a good start, there is no successful career in sport; without the development of university sport, little can be expected in this, top level arena. The Universiade in Belgrade is, therefore, the best way to promote sports and to make everyone understand how important it is to support young competitors.
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Ivan Miljković
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Olympic volleyball player
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I sincerely hope that the Belgrade Universiade will make people in Serbia aware that sport is one of the most important things our country can offer to the world. I feel really great when people abroad recognize me as someone coming from such a small country which is so successful in sports.
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Vladimir Grbic
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volleyball, Olympic gold medal winner
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The fact that we are organizing the Universiade is challenging enough, since it is not very often that we have the opportunity to organize a world class competition like the Universiade. It is not just the gathering of University teams - we are aware that there will be athletes who are not university students. The whole world will get together here and we must take the advantage of that and show the world who and what we are.
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Petar Puaca
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football player
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I believe that the 25th Universiade Belgrade 2009 will be the finest Universida ever. I am certain that the Universiade organization is exceptional and that the world will change their opinion about Serbia. Belgrade has been given a chance to show Europe and the rest of the world what a beautiful city it is.
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