ⓒ 2003 WATV

The Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Summer Universiade 2003 was held at the Universiade Main Stadium on Thursday evening, Aug. 21. At the opening ceremony, five performance events and fireworks displays were held to formulate the main theme "Dream for Unity" and the slogan "Daegu in Fashion, Dream in Action," before and after official event.

However, it was the cheering performance by volunteer citizen supporters that made the greatest impression on the participants and all the other people watching the event.
Even before the opening ceremony began, they were already gathered together at the Main Stadium and were showing their outstanding performance "WE♥U", wearing T-shirts in five colors: yellow, green, red, blue and black consisting the Universiade emblem. They are members of "Aurah Supporters" composed of university students of Church of God, World Mission Society (Chairman / Rev. Kim, Joo Cheol). As citizen volunteers, they are expected constantly to support the athletes during the Daegu Universiade.

ⓒ 2003 WATV

Aurah Supporters' unified action with loud shout attracted the audience's eyes. When the delegations entered the stadium, the supporters shouted aloud, "We love you," lighting up WEU with their flashlights.

WE♥U.
The message WE♥U" was clearly appearing and shining beautifully with five-colored lights, and their performance produced a great impression not only on the athletes and officials of 174 delegations but also on about 60,000 audience. When Aurah Supporters welcomed the athletes, repeatedly shouting, We love you, they waved their hands, smiling brightly. Some of them filmed the supporters' performance with a camera or camcorder.

This Daegu Universiade has the largest number of participating countries ever in the Universiade history. It took more than one hour for all delegations to enter the stadium; they marched in the long parade. However, the flash card performance WEU, waving by the supporters' rhythmic movement, relieved the tedium of the audience.

ⓒ 2003 WATV

Finally South Korea and North Korea entered together bearing the Korean peninsula flag. When the crowd sent up rousing cheers with their long-cherished desire for reconciliation between South and North Korea, Aurah Supporters produced an impressive performance once again. The part 'U' of WE♥U was already changed into the shape of the map of Korean Peninsula. After the entrance of all the delegations, the torch was lighted and then the flashlights were turned on again to create a fantastic light show in the small flash lights which the audience turned on all at once.

After official event, when the athletes were exiting for post-ceremony event, the part WE' was changed into KOREA' which brought it into bolder relief that Koreans welcomed foreign delegations participating in the Universiade. After the performance 'WE♥U' & 'KOREAU' Aurah Supporters created another image; they changed 'U' of WE♥U' into the design of Taegeuk signifying Korea, which represents universal order, harmony and unity. And again they impressed the vivid light of love WEU deeply on world people's hearts.

ⓒ 2003 WATV

A poet, who watched the scene in the stadium, wrote in a daily newspaper, "Especially, the cheers of WE♥U performance team echoed throughout the stadium and reached my ear on the opposite side. I had my hair stand up on end at the sight. I trembled with excitement rising from deep within myself. Saying that, he expressed his deep impression of the opening ceremony.

Now the opening ceremony already finished. However, this is just the starting point for the message WE♥U delivered by Aurah Supporters. Kim, Yong Gab, Leader of Aurah Supporters, explained the meaning of WE♥U, saying, "'Dream for Unity' which is the theme of the Daegu Universiade is realized through the power of love." He was confident of the Daegu Universiade's success. "During the Universiade, we will realize 'Dream for Unity' by narrowing the distance between the athletes and the audience and overcoming language and culture barriers through vigorous and passionate cheering of Korean youth. Aurah Supporters, the messengers of love, are expected to participate actively in support activities for ten days.