By Nadezhda Serbinenko: In June 2019, Minsk will host the Second European Games. The largest sports forum in the history of independent Belarus will bright together more than 4,000 athletes.
Belarus took the world-level sports relay from Azerbaijan. In October 2016, Belarus was granted the right to host the forum. Now, Belarus is facing the tasks of doing something new and creating a sincere holiday that will be memorable for both Belarusians and international guests.
The Games are a matter of the image of the country, as well as new tourist opportunities. They are not only a sports event, but also a grand world-class show. The best directing groups of the world will compete for the right to hold the opening and closing ceremonies.
Minsk Dinamo Stadium will become the main venue for the 2019 European Games. In 2 years, it will host the opening ceremony. At the moment, construction is under way here. About 800 builders work here, and 9 tower cranes are installed. Over the stadium, an entirely new canopy of metal structures is becoming ever clearer.
This legendary stadium hosted the matches of the 1980 Summer Olympics, and 39 years later, it will host the athletics event of the Games.
Minsk Arena will become the venue for at least 5 sports competitions, including track cycling, badminton, and trampoline.
The Arena can easily accommodate 15,500 spectators. It has an ice rink, but if need be, it can be transformed into a platform for gymnastics and acrobatics. The Arena’s skating rink will become a training round for the athletes. During the 2014 IIHF World Championship, Group A teams prepared for the matches here.
At the first European games, Belarus won 43 medals, the 7th best result among the teams. Among the medals were three bronzes won by a female trio in acrobatics.
Athletes from all over Europe will be following their dreams and seeking rewards in Minsk. The Belarusian legend about the quest for the cherished flower became the basis for the logo of the Games.
The English version of the official slogan of the Games is Bright Year, Bright You. In Russian, it is the Time of Bright Victories.
The flower of the fern is the main logo of the Games. The design of it uses the colors of the Olympic rings – blue, red, yellow, black, and green. Another symbolic feature is the shape of the fern. Visually, it resembles the Olympic flame.
The authors of the graphics and slogan are a Belarusian team of designers and creators. Three years ago, they made a logo for the IIHF World Championship. The inspiration for the European Games was the Belarusian folklore.
The Games are yet to get their mascot, though. The first Games had Jeyran the gazelle and Nar the pomegranate. So far, famous Belarusian athletes have come up with the ideas of a baby bison, a bellflower, a cornflower, and even a potato. The Ministry of Information is now accepting entries to the contest. Contestants are to suggest the idea of the mascot, its image, and name.
The 2019 European Games will be the largest sporting event in the history of independent Belarus. It is already known that 11 of the 16 sports will be qualifiers for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Minsk is preparing to welcome 4,000 athletes, 2,000 officials, and tens of thousands of fans, who will be able to take advantage of a special visa regime. The time of bright victories is yet to come, but it is already close.
