TURIN, Italy, Oct. 9, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
The flame for the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade was lit in Turin, Italy, on Thursday, marking a milestone in preparations for the 33rd Winter World University Games, which will be held in northeast China's Jilin Province in January 2027.
The lighting ceremony took place at the University of Turin. Changchun Mayor Gu Gang and International University Sports Federation (FISU) President Leonz Eder jointly lit the cauldron using a torch from the inaugural Universiade, held in Turin in 1959, before transferring the flame to the lantern for the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade.
The ceremony featured a promotional video for the Games, the national anthems of China and Italy, and performances showcasing Changchun's urban character and Chinese culture. These included a dance inspired by ice crystals and a traditional Chinese-style performance celebrating the winter landscapes of northern China.
Gu, chairman of the executive committee of the Games, said the flame collection ceremony would serve as a bridge for cultural exchanges between East and West, with winter sports helping foster mutual understanding and friendship among young people from different countries and regions.
Following the ceremony, the flame began its journey through Turin, passing the Egyptian Museum and the Murazzi del Po before reaching Castello del Valentino, the historic headquarters of the Polytechnic University of Turin. The torchbearers included FISU President Leonz Eder, University of Turin Rector Cristina Prandi and Polytechnic University of Turin Vice-Rector Elena Maria Baralis. The flame lantern was subsequently placed in safekeeping.
A welcoming ceremony for the flame is scheduled to take place in Changchun on Oct. 14, according to the Games' executive committee.
The Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade will run from Jan. 15 to 25, 2027, with Changchun and the neighboring city of Jilin jointly hosting competitions on ice and snow. The Games will feature 97 events across 12 sports, including the newly added winter cross-country running discipline.
Turin holds a special place in the history of the Universiade. The city hosted the inaugural Summer Universiade in 1959 and has since become the permanent home of the FISU's "Flame of Knowledge." Since 2018, host cities have traveled to Turin to collect the flame before bringing it back to their respective Games.
The 2027 Winter Universiade will mark the event's return to China after Harbin hosted the Winter edition in 2009. Preparations in Changchun and Jilin are advancing, with work underway on competition venues, event operations and supporting services.
Leonz Eder recently told Xinhua that preparations were progressing smoothly and expressed hope that the Changchun 2027 Games would attract a record number of delegations.
