Culture
The vision of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games is to not only promote fair elite sport competitions, but also to promote the intercultural exchange.
The cultural programme will then play a special role in this and will concentrate on the protagonists of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games - namely the students.
Young and modern cultural elements from mainly local cultural workers will aim to give wings to the fantasy of students, embody the enjoyment of life of the Rhine-Ruhr Region and animate them to join in. Like in many other areas, it is planned to integrate the universities as well as the municipalities in the development of the programme. To make the FISU Games accessible for the participants and the people of the whole region cultural events will be offered at all main clusters.
The Opening Ceremony at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf and the Closing Ceremony at the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord will be unforgettable highlights of the cultural programme of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will take place in Düsseldorf at the Merkur Spiel-Arena. Classical elements such as the marching in of the nations or the lighting of the FISU Games fire will be combined with a colourful show programme, that will set innovative accents and connect tradition and modernity in regard to points of view of sustainability.
Since its opening in 2004 the Merkur Spiel-Arena is a popular meeting point and regular venue for national and international sports, music and cultural events.
The multipurpose arena offers space for up to 54,600 spectators, that can watch the proceedings from two levels.
Closing Ceremony
The participants will be in the centre of the Closing Ceremony of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. At the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord numerous activities are planned, that will encourage participation and intercultural encounters between the elite sports students, officials and guests. The Closing Ceremony will be complemented by the traditional closing ceremony according to the FISU protocol.
The Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord celebrated its 25-year jubilee in 2019. Within two decades the shut down metallurgical plant transformed itself into a big city oasis.
Nowadays, the blast furnace backdrop, that has been photographed a million times, is a worldwide known nature and cultural landscape as well as being a leading event address for around 250 events every year. On average, one million guests per year make the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord one of the most popular parkland and cultural spaces in North Rhine-Westphalia.