The torch relay of the 19th Asian Games in Taizhou was inaugurated at 9 am on September 14. One torchbearer and 238 student volunteers from our university were active in the “front line” of the torch relay ceremony to welcome the Asian Games flame.
The route of the torch relay started from Taizhou Hehe Park and ended at the North Square of Taizhou Sports Center. Along the way, it passed landmark buildings as Taizhou University, Central Business District and Citizen Square, with a total length of 8 kilometers. This torch relay event, in accordance with the requirements of “simplicity, safety and splendidness” and with the theme of “Hehe Taizhou & Dynamic City”, fully demonstrates Taizhou people’s inheritance of Dachen Island Reclamation Spirit and its achievements in the past 30 years.
Fan Keyi, a student from the School of Humanities and the head of “New Voice” Publicity Group, represented our university to be the 19th torchbearer of Taizhou Station. From submitting the application to being selected as one of the torchbearers, Fan dared not relax in every link. He is well aware of the significance of the Asian Games torch relay and his glorious mission as a torchbearer. In the field training, he carefully studied the rules, designed and practiced hand-over actions as high-fives and fist bumps with the torchbearers of the front and back sticks. At the torch relay this morning, Fan described himself as “excited and enthusiastic” and said, “People on both sides of the road waved national flags and Asian Games flags, cheering and shouting. I was deeply moved by the atmosphere and felt extremely honored and proud to witness such a great event.”
At the torch relay ceremony, under the leadership of the university Youth League Committee and the secondary college committees, volunteers carried out various services at such stations as the residential hotels, the starting ceremony venue, the torch relay route and the fire-collecting ceremony venue. Dressed in green volunteer uniforms named “Little Green Lotus” (homophonic to affinity in Chinese), the student volunteers have received praise from the torch relay command center, city leaders, torchbearers and other people, with their friendly smile, standard gesture, enthusiastic state and considerate service. They have showed our university students’ youthful beauty and added great charm to the torch relay.
“Although the training is laborious, my heart is filled with a sense of mission and faith.” Zhang Yanyan, a student volunteer from the School of Business, remarked, “Volunteer service is a good opportunity for our young students to show responsibility, and the Asian Games is a good chance to show our city. As young college students, we should strive to be the most beautiful ‘Little Green Lotus’ with our own actions, singing the strongest voice of youth at the window.”
Under the leadership of the instructors Wu Bo and Wang Xianglin, the aerobics team from the School of Teacher Education (School of Physical Education) rehearsed, prepared and provided a wonderful performance for people along the torch relay route. As one of the six performances, their performance have highlighted the spirit of our young students. The School of Art and Design has also selected excellent etiquette volunteers for the torch relay closing ceremony.
Since June this year, under the guidance of the Asian Games Organizing Committee and Taizhou Youth League Committee, our university has gone through procedures such as mobilization, registration, qualification review, post allocation, formal recruitment, training and drill. Out of more than 1,000 registered volunteers, we have selected 238 student volunteers for duty services, including torchbearer service, material distribution, conference service, logistic service, etiquette guidance, and back-up service.
The university attached great importance to the torch relay activity, while all departments and secondary colleges worked together to ensure the smooth completion of the event. Jin Xianlong, the Deputy Secretary of the CPC University Committee, has visited these volunteers at the training spot for many times. The secondary colleges have actively mobilized all volunteers to overcome difficulties and return in advance to participate in the training during the summer vacation. In the training and drill, all volunteers sticked to their respective posts, obeyed activity arrangements, and overcame difficulties as hot weather, heavy training intensity and long working hours. Be it in the early morning or late night, they would gather at “the first time”. With a high sense of responsibility and honor, our student volunteers have completed all kinds of service guarantee work with high quality and high standards.
The torch relay is symbolic of the continuation of the Asian Games spirit, showing the beauty of Hehe Taizhou. Our university supported Hangzhou Asian Games by providing volunteer services, which highlighted the youth spirit and contributed to Taizhou’s high-quality development.
