The 45th WorldSkills Competition came to an end with the Closing Ceremony, which took place at the Kazan Arena Stadium today 27 August.
Famous Russian hosts, Yana Churikova and Anton Komolov, ran the Ceremony.
At the very start, a video with highlights of previous skills competitions was shown. After welcoming the official guests of the show, the anthem of the Russian Federation was performed by the Kazan Chamber Orchestra La Primavera, orchestra Aurora, Tatarstan State Song and Dance Ensemble, and Chamber Choir of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The winners of skill competitions, top-scorers among the national teams’ members, as well as Competitors with distinguished results were awarded during the Ceremony.
Brio Sonores Bolero, a crossover quartet from Moldova, and famous Russian singer from Zventa Sventana musical project performed at the event. WorldSkills Kazan 2019 Ambassador rapper Levan Goroziya sang “No one but us”, a song about motivation and inner strength specifically recorded for the Closing Ceremony.
At the final part of the Ceremony, 63 Competitors ⎼ the best of each national team – appeared on the stage. They were bestowed with the Best of Nation Awards by members of the WorldSkills Champions Trust, followed by a group photo in the Winner’s Circle. This is traditional at each WorldSkills Closing Ceremony.
Another long-awaited moment arrived with the Albert Vidal Award, given to the top-scorer of WorldSkills Kazan 2019. The award honours the founder of the WorldSkills movement, Francisco Albert Vidal. This year, President of WorldSkills, Simon Bartley, and Albert Vidal’s daughter, Paloma Vidal, handed out the award to Anastasia Kameneva, Team Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Competition participants and spectators in the grandstands with a welcome speech.
Simon Bartley declared the 45th WorldSkills Competition closed.
“Thank you on behalf of WorldSkills, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This week demonstrates that we are on the right path, that with our young people, and the right attitude, we have the spirit and the tools to help them create the bright future they deserve.”
Then, Kazakh singer and composer Dimash Kudaibergen performed several songs, one of which was dedicated to the city of Kazan. The artists and the spectators danced together to the chorus part.
The 46th WorldSkills Competition will take place in Shanghai, China, in 2021. As is tradition, the next host country performed a theatrical piece about their national culture and customs. The Chinese leader, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, addressed the audience at Kazan Arena from the screens and the WorldSkills flag was handed over to the Chinese Delegation.
The Ceremony was crowned with the performance of Svetlana Loboda and Filipp Kirkorov.
WorldSkills Kazan 2019
WorldSkills Kazan 2019 was held from August 22-27. Close to 1,300 competitors from 63 WorldSkills Member countries and regions competed in 56 skills. This was the largest international event in Russia in 2019.
Kazan was awarded the right to hold the event in 2015, after a vote of WorldSkills Members. WorldSkills Russia works in all 85 regions of the country and is one of the priority projects for the federal government in the field of personnel training and economic development.
Press Office of WorldSkills Kazan 2019 Competition Organizer
