On December, 31 Kazan residents celebrate not only New Year but welcome the Olympic torch. On this day the symbol of the World Winter Games made a tour across the Tatarstan capital.

A lot of Kazan residents participated in this historic event. From the very morning a big crowd was waiting for the Olympic torch relay near the International Media Centre at the Universiade Village. Flags with games symbols, cheerful whoops, appeals and applause supported the torch bearers.

The event was opened by KFU Rector Ilshat Gafurov. He congratulated Kazan residents on New Year and wished good luck to Olympic Games participants.

The ceremony of Olympic flame lightning started at 8 a.m. Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, alumni of Kazan Federal University lit the first torch.

Olympic torch tour started from the Flag Alley at the Universiade Village. All the torchbearers ran one after another across the campus and then went to the city…