From August 5th to August 9th, “Colorful Dream World Games (CDWG)” was held at Linxia Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Gansu Province. 86 players from 17 countries along the Belt and Road and 497 Chinese footballers competed together. Finally, a Thai youth football team organized by the Confucius Classroom at Suankularb Wittayalai School (CCSWS) won the second place.
At the joint invitation of Gansu UNESCO Association, Gansu NGO Network for International Exchanges, and CDWG Organizing Committee, excellent youth sports clubs in countries and regions along the Belt and Road actively responded. Upon the receipt of invitation, CCSWS made proactive preparation for establishment of a Thai youth football team, which was led by MontriPanyawongkhanti, the head of CCSWS.
Football team
CDWG covered six major sports: football, basketball, track and field, badminton, ping pong, and martial art. Relevant activities such as the opening ceremony, the award ceremony, the international exchanges and the artistic performance were also held, which set up a sports and cultural exchange platform for the youth to go global.
Singers from many countries singing the song “Love Each Other”
In the group stage, the Thai youth football team strived hard. Withhigh spirit and extraordinary skills, they defeated Nepal’s team and the representative team from China Linxia No. 3 Middle School and made it to the semifinal.
Thai youth football team marching in the stadium
In the semifinal, the Thai youth football team once again played against the representative team from China Linxia No. 3 Middle School. Confronting the old rival, the Thai team won the game with ease by 7:1.
Thai team VS the representative team from Linxia No. 3 Middle School
The final was Thailand versus Kyrghyzstan. As matched rivals, the two teams competitively strived for the championship. Finally, Kyrghyzstan won the game by 2:1. The Thai team was defeated regretfully, winning the second place.
Thai team VS Kyrghyzstan team
In the game, all players held fast to the sportsmanship of “friendship first, competition second” and presented the audience with a football feast through wonderful skills and teamwork. This game raised the Thai youth football team’s influence, cohesion and team spirit. In future games, the Thai youth football team will make persistent efforts for more brilliant achievements.
Du Yongjun, President of Gansu UNESCO Association, and others visited Thai youth representatives and gave them Linxia’s unique peony filigree enamel painting plates as a gift.
Gansu UNESCO Association visiting Thai youth representatives
With sports as a bond, this activity constructed a bridge for international sports and cultural exchanges and built a colorful dream for youth in countries along the Belt and Road, giving youth gorgeous splendor in the progress of times. (cited from Confucius Institute Headquarters, source: Confucius Classroom at SuankularbWittayalai School (CCSWS))