Emotional song of gratitude for life brought the FISU World Forum to a close

As the FISU World Forum in Östersund came to an end, community, friendship and inclusion took centre stage. The closing ceremony concluded with a warmly received performance by the members of the choir The Rockin Pots, whose songs added extra resonance to the messages that had shaped the forum throughout the week.

The choir was founded in 2015 at the Grytan refugee reception centre outside Östersund. Founder Jonas Hagström explains that the aim was to create a meaningful activity while promoting health and wellbeing among the residents.

Today, The Rockin Pots is open to everyone and brings together people from many different countries. Through regular rehearsals and concerts alongside established choirs in Östersund, the group builds bridges between cultures and nationalities while spreading joy and a sense of community.
Their message echoed many of the themes highlighted during the closing ceremony.

After the week’s project work had been summarised and the student groups had presented their ideas for the future development of university sport, FISU Secretary General Mattias Remund addressed the students directly, emphasising their importance to the future of university sport.

“Dear students, you are the reason why we are here. We promise to take forward the proposals you have presented today; they are important for our development,” he said, encouraging participants to stay in touch after the forum.
Lovisa Broms of the Swedish University Sports Federation and Chair of the Organising Committee reflected on how friendships can be built across cultural and geographical boundaries, sometimes through something as simple as sharing a coffee. She also stressed that university sport is about more than competition. At times, it can be about enjoyable activities such as kubb, rounders, community dance or a simple walk and talk.

“Culture, nature and music bring people together. Ultimately, university sport is also about people and the relationships we build,” she said, while thanking the many volunteers who contributed to the event.
Mariia Bulatova of the FISU Education Committee also looked to the future as she wished participants peace, good health, prosperity and new heartfelt friendships, both professionally and personally.

And, as the voices of The Rockin Pots filled the venue, the choir’s own story became a symbol of the forum’s overarching message: that encounters between people, regardless of their background, can create understanding, hope and a sense of community that extends far beyond national borders and language barriers.

The FISU-flag has now been passed on to the host of FISU World Forum 2028, Brasilia, and to Mario Ferro, administrative director of CDBU.

…and a few final words from Östersund: “Tack för att ni kom, och lycka till Brasilia!”
(thank you for coming to Östersund, and good luck to Brasilia)