The Volunteer Center of the 2018 World Cup in Ekaterinburg summed up the work of the volunteers during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
In early June, a team of volunteers from the Sverdlovsk region traveled to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi to assist in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The 20-man delegation included volunteers from the 2018 FIFAWorldCupVolunteerCenter in Russia, The base of the UralFederalUniversity, and the Center for the preparation of city volunteers of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the host city Ekaterinburg.
During a month and a half, the volunteers helped the organizers in holding matches of the "Champions tournament" in 11 functional areas. Volunteers registered athletes, met and accompanied delegations at the airport, managed significant infrastructure facilities, distributed fans at matches, helped to ensure the work of the media, participated in the organization of TV and radio broadcasts and online broadcasts, met and accompanied VIP guests, organized the work of the volunteers' headquarters and assisted in the management Transport flows.
Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Sergei Shvindt visited the volunteer center of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Ekaterinburg on June 6 and met with volunteers from the Sverdlovsk region who helped organize the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.
Sergey Vladimirovich thanked the volunteers, wished the volunteer center team further success in preparing for the forthcoming championship and handed over to all the participants of the meeting souvenirs with the symbols of the host city Ekaterinburg of the 2018 World Cup.
"The great experience that our volunteers have acquired in all the cities-organizers of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup will undoubtedly be used in the preparation and holding of matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Ekaterinburg. I am sure that it will be thanks to the volunteers, their teamwork and positive attitude, the 2018 World Cup will be held at the highest level! ", - Sergey Shvindt said, Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk region.
The volunteers also thanked Sergei Shvindt for the opportunity to participate in the organization of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and handed him the Official Mascot of the forthcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup, which is Zabivakutm wolf.
"This is not the first volunteer experience at an international event for me, but the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup will be remembered especially to me! Every day I talked with volunteers from different parts of our planet. All of us are preparing for the 2018 World Cup, and such an opportunity to exchange experiences is very important and useful!", Elizaveta Berseneva, volunteer of the "Services for spectators" function at the St Petersburg Stadium told.
Useful tips that volunteers learnt during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Confederation Cup will be taken into account and used in the work of the volunteer center of Ekaterinburg to implement two volunteer programs of the 2018 FIFA that are Volunteers of the Organizing Committee and Urban Volunteers.
"Internships on mega events like the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup are very important for our volunteers. Participation in such events gives volunteers a positive emotional surge, fills with energy and motivates them," says Alexander Antimonov, director of the VolunteerCenter of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
It is important to note that the voluntary assistants did not spend their own funds to participate in the organization of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The travel of volunteers to the cities of the Championship matches was organized at the expense of funds from the budget of the Sverdlovsk region. Complex hot meals during shifts, accommodation in comfortable rooms and a set of unique uniforms designed specifically for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup’ Volunteers: all this was provided by the Organizing Committee "Russia2018" to volunteers.
