6 September 2009
Awards and Celebrations! WSC2009 Closing Ceremony
The 40th WorldSkills Competition is officially done. The medals, awards, and certificates have all been distributed on stage to the hard working Competitors of WorldSkills Calgary 2009. Now, Competitors and Delegates can return home to their countries/regions for some well deserved rest.
The Closing Ceremony of the 40th WorldSkills Competition was a wonderful display of energy and excitement on Sunday night, September 6, 2009. The event took place in the Corral at Stampede Park. All 45 skills announced their Champions, followed by the Best of Nation, presented by the WorldSkills Board of Directors and finally the Albert Vidal Award was presented. At the end of the event, the WorldSkills flag was passed on from WorldSkills Calgary 2009 to the next Competition host, WorldSkills London 2011.
The Albert Vidal Award was earned by Thiam Shui Tan from Singapore who participated in IT/PC Network support (570 points out of 600). This Award is named after the founder of WorldSkills International from Spain. During the first thirty-one Skill Olympics, Francisco Albert-Vidal was responsible for the achievement of the original goals in a changing world: 33 years as an untiring promoter in his position as Secretary General and seven years as President of the International Organisation constantly presenting new ideas. The Vocational Training Competitions became his life’s work and the International Organisation was shaped into what it is today. In memory of Albert Vidal, the Award signifies the Competitor that achieves the highest score out of all the Competitors.
“To you dear Competitors, regardless of the medal results, each of you will leave Calgary as a WorldSkills Champion. Your passion and your imagination will ensure your success and our future as a society. I hope that all of you go home with a renewed passion to continue carrying the bright flame of the WorldSkills Movement.” Said Tjerk Dussedorp, President of WorldSkills International.
The Farewell Party, followed the Closing Ceremonies and was held in Nashville North which had been serving as the lunch venue throughout the Competition, now looked completely transformed in to a Hip Hop style nightclub. This well attended event was held for WorldSkills participants, from Competitors, Experts, Delegates and supporters and was enjoyed by all. During the Farewell Party, both the People’s Choice Award, and the Sustainability Award were presented.
The People’s Choice Award was presented for the first time, in 8 different skill areas. It was given to the following Competitors:
- Fashion Technology, Carol Sidler, Switzerland
- Confectioner/Pastry Cook, Caitlin Mayo, Canada
- Sheet Metal Technology, Brad Chyz, Canada
- Web Design, Nur Amalina Bte Zakaria, Singapore
- Graphic Design Technology, David Boivin, Canada
- Landscape Gardening, Remop Aus der Au and Tobias Schenk, Switzerland
- Hairdressing, Samuel Chabot, Canada
- Floristry, Elisa Paquet-Lessard, Canada
The first WorldSkills Sustainability Award was presented. Beauty Therapy won this award for the efforts they have made, considering environmental sustainability in the set up, planning and teardown of the competition site. The carbon footprint of a Competition event of this scale can make a huge impact. It’s important that organisers find solutions to recycle, reuse, and reduce the material waste. The award was given to Beauty Therapy for fulfilling three criteria’s given by the Award panel; economic, ecological and social. Amongst the initiatives taken by the skills were: no pollutants used, small bottles were handed out to allow the return of unused product, a limit of 2 towels per Competitor, rinsing using cold instead of hot water, and implementing a future plan to invite people from aged care facilities to participate as models.
“Now remember, the legacy of this Competition is that your experiences here will not easily be forgotten. They have been captured and will live on through WorldSkills TV and be accessible to everyone through the Internet. At Skills/Compétences Canada we pledge to carry this Competition legacy to every corner of our great country through the skills movement and I challenge each and everyone one of you who have had the privilege to participate in this magnificent event to carry the WorldSkills story home with you and make it truly a global movement.” Said Terry Cooke, President, Skills/Compétence Canada
Bridal fashions were also paraded, displaying the work created by Fashion Technology Competitors. Gowns that were featured in the fashion show were all purchased at a silent auction held on Saturday, a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.