Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade unveils torch and medals

Preparations for the 33rd Winter World University Games, scheduled for January 15–25, 2027, in Changchun and Jilin, China, have reached significant milestones. During a 100-day countdown event, organizers unveiled the official torch, named ‘Ji Xiang’ (Auspicious Flight), and the medals, named ‘Ji Meng’ (Auspicious Dream).

The torch design incorporates Changchun’s city flower, the clivia, alongside filmstrip motifs and ski-inspired lines to reflect the city’s film and industrial heritage. It stands 711 millimetres tall, referencing the city’s maximum urban elevation. The medals feature designs inspired by skate blades and the ‘First Jade Bird of Ancient China,’ and include embedded NFC chips that allow athletes to access ceremony footage via smartphone.

In a symbolic handover ceremony, the flame was officially lit at the University of Turin, Italy. Changchun Mayor Gu Gang and FISU President Leonz Eder used a torch from the inaugural 1959 Universiade to light the cauldron before transferring the flame to a lantern destined for China. This ceremony marks the beginning of the flame’s journey to connect the academic and sporting communities ahead of the 2027 Games.