The Torino 2025 Flame Relay was officially presented during a press conference held in the “Sala Trasparenza” at the Piemonte Skyscraper. This event marks the kick off of the journey of the Flame of Knowledge, within “La Guarini” torch, created to light the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games.
From Brussels to Rabat in Morocco, passing through Rome, New York, Lausanne, Milan, Trento, Caivano and Salerno, the “La Guarini” torch will travel the world in September and October. It will the return to Piemonte in November, with eight regional stops in Biella, Vercelli, Novara, Alessandria, Asti, Pollenzo, Mondovì and Cuneo accompanied by school students.
Finally, in December the torch will arrive in the Games’ host municipalities: Pinerolo, Torre Pellice, Pragelato, Sestriere and Bardonecchia, returning to Torino on 13 January 2025 on the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony that will kick off the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games. The path of the torch will start from the historical seat of the CUS Torino and will wind along a city route that will touch the main parks of the city and the competition venues (Pala Tazzoli and Palavela) on a mixed route along the cycle paths present in the area.
Kick-off on the International Day of University Sport
The celebrations for the FISU World University Games Torch Relay will kick off on 20 September, on International Day of University Sport (IDUS), from the Rector’s Office of the University of Torino, where the brazier of the Universiade resides. The event was born in the Piemontese capital in 1959 under the name “Universiade” thanks to the visionary intuition of the then president of CUS Torino Primo Nebiolo. In 2018, a structured protocol between FISU, CUS Torino, and UniTo has included Torino as the host city of the Flame of Knowledge, and at all editions of the World University Games, the organising countries travel to Torino to kick off their Games by lighting the brazier.
“The launch of the torch relay is always a truly emotional moment,” stated FISU President, Leonz Eder. “This time even more, as the Torch will travel through Europe, the world, and the region, warming many hearts along its journey, before returning to where it always burns, in this city so special to FISU, Torino.”
Among the torchbearers involved in the tour there will be Elisa Fava, a snowboarder from Almese (Italy) and gold medallist in parallel giant slalom at the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games, who brought the Torch into the “Sala Trasparenza” at the conclusion of the presentation.
“This Moment”, the sound of the Torino 2025 FISU Games
The entrance of the Torch carried by Elisa Fava was accompanied by the background music of the winning anthem of the competition created by the Open Stage community together with the Organising Committee to create the official song of the event, which will be used at the opening of all the events (sporting and non-sporting) in the various competition venues and to accompany the tour of the Torch. Presenting the anthem were Paolo Di Gioia, of the band Eugenio in Via Di Gioia, and Stefano Frosi of Open Stage, who composed the technical committee set up to evaluate and select the competing tracks. The song is entitled ‘This Moment’ and was written and composed by the creative team Hesanobody, MadTing & DMMP, aka Gaetano Dino Chirico, Giulio Carter, Davide Mettifogo and Marco Pezzali.
The meeting at the Skyscraper was also an opportunity to present the Main Sponsors of the Torino 2025 Games, UniCredit and UniCredit Allianz Assicurazioni, who were awarded the first official alpine ski bibs for events such as the alpine combined, super G, and slalom. This edition, for the first time in the history of the FISU World University Games Winter, will also be present in the para version. This will in fact be the first, historic barrier-free edition because, in alpine and cross-country skiing, para-athletes from the categories visually impaired, standing (athletes with disabilities who ski standing up) and sitting (athletes with disabilities who ski sitting down) will compete alongside all other student-athletes.
A powerful regional legacy
Alessandro Ciro Sciretti, President of the Torino 2025 Games Organising Committee, concluded: “By integrating sports and study with work and the socioeconomic growth of Piemonte, the Flame of Knowledge Tour, and more generally, the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games, aim to leave a tangible legacy even after 23 January, with the involvement of students as a key element in its realisation. This engagement also extends to young student-athletes arriving in Piemonte from all over the world, who will have the opportunity to learn more about the excellence of our academic system through sports. Because Piemonte is truly the land of sports!”