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| It was a lovely sunny afternoon here at Nepstadion
(the People's Stadium) in Budapest when the athletes, organizers,
accompanying persons, and the media gathered to mark the closing
of the XII World Transplant Games. |
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The track competition had just ended less than an hour before
when we were asked to clear the area on the track so that
the ceremony could get underway at three o'clock.
 
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Many of the athletes were reluctant to settle down for the
program because they were busy greeting each other, trading
team shirts, posing for team photos in front of all the country
flags, singing or whistling together, and just generally having
fun.
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| The Argentinians were especially rowdy, singing, waving their
arms, and clapping. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and soon
many people were coming over to their area of the stands! |
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| The ceremony was emceed by Zsuzsa
Csisztu, the well-known former Hungarian gymnast who also spoke
at the opening ceremonies, and was translated throughout into
English. |
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| Ms. Csisztu mentioned that she had
attended some of the events during the week, and that she was
impressed with the transplant recipient athletes. |
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Kovács Kriszta, a woman singer in a flowing white dress,
sang a beautiful rendition of "El Condor Pasa" with accomanpaniment
at first, then a capella. The appreciative crowd clapped
in time, providing background when the background sound failed.
Ms. Kovács then sang the song "Hava Negila" which
the crowd quite obviously enjoyed - to judge by the rhythmic
clapping and dancing in the audience!
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| The wave made several passes - started
by the Italians (you could hear it, as well as see it - the
standing and waving, accompanied by a vocal "whooaaaaa!"
sound) The crowd was irrepressible. |
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Vikidál Gyula, dressed in flowing white shirt and white pants,
sang a rock song from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat." Reminiscent of a retro Elvis-era song, it drove
the crowd wild! Mr. Vikidál then sang a popular Hungarian
song that the Hungarians in the crowd certainly recognized.
There was a lot of singing along during the refrain, and much
applause afterwards.
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As the two soldiers marched onto the field to stand at either
side of the stage for the more official parts of the ceremony,
the emcee commented on the crowd's enthusiasm: "Now I
can see that all our formal plans for the official closing
have vanished!"
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Mr. Maurice Slapak, president of the World Transplant Games
Federation, took the stage next. He asked the audience to
thank the Hungarian organizing committee with three rousing
"Hip hip hooray!" cheers. Mr. Slapak stated that
he wants to see everyone in Kobe, Japan in two years' time
for the next Games, "running like Hell, jumping like
Hell, and having a wonderful time!"
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Mr. Georgy Szekely, the president of the MTSE (Magyar Transzplantáltak
Kulturális és Sportegyesületének), then addressed the crowd.
He commented on the change in procedure necessitated by the
length of time required to play the national anthems of the
medal winners, expressing the wish that the anthems could
be played, as it means a great deal to the athletes.
"And now it is time to say goodbye.... I guess the
message of the World Transplant Games could be the following:
those people who have been touched by the thin border between
life and death have realized how false their former values
have been. They have realized that it's not the money, not
the stressed life of hurrying and business that matters, but
it is the friendship, love and family that matter. It is a
shame that those people who are making the world go around
do not realize this and do not listen to us. We could tell
them how it is possible to build a real castle on real foundations.
"And now let us tell the truth to people, let us promote
love, let us hold each other's hands and run to the middle
of the field as our way of saying goodbye until the next games,
try to hold each others' hands and try to lead each other
on the path of love. In these moments, let us close the 12th
World Transplant Games, and I will see you in two years' time
in Kobe, Japan."
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| The World Transplant Games flag was lowered and
ceremonially given to the representatives of the Japanese local
organizing committee, to care for until the XIII World Transplant
Games in 2001. There was much cheering, and everyone was invited
down onto the field for the customary closing activities. |
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| To the sound of Beethoven's Ode to Joy,
everyone came down onto the field and joined hands to form a
line stretching out around the huge track. As more and more
people joined in, the line became a circle of hands wrapping
all the way around the track. |
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| What a powerful image: hundreds of
people from forty-some countries all over the world, linked
by the common experience of transplantation, now physically
linking hands to celebrate life!
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As the music reached its dramatic climax, Mr. Slapak counted
"One....Two...Three!" and everyone ran toward the
center of the field, cheering and laughing.
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Arriving at the crowd in the center of the field, you could
see exhiliration and happiness mixed with some sadness at
having to part from friends. There were hugs, tears, and cheers,
and plenty of shirt-trading to commemorate this memorable
week.
For me, it was the very best moment of the Games, one that
symbolizes what it's all about: the joy of renewed life, made
possible by generous donor families, and the happiness of
sharing that with friends around the world.
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That evening, after everyone had gotten gussied up, we all
met again for the closing party,
which concluded with fireworks and a moonlit boat ride on
the Danube, from which we saw the lights of Budapest for the
last time. It was a lovely, festive, fun conclusion to a wonderful
week that no one wanted to end. Our memories and photographs
will have to carry us until we meet again in two years in
Japan.
Bon voyage to everyone!
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