Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu said the city has shown 'soft' power in staging the World Games that concluded Sunday and praised Kaohsiung residents for their passion in participating in the event. The mayor was speaking at a news conference held after a spectacular closing ceremony during which International World Games Association President Ron Froehlich praised the July 16-26 games as the 'best games ever.' Nearly 6,000 athletes, officials, coaches, referees and others from 103 countries participated in the Kaohsiung World Games, setting a record high for the multisport competition. Chen noted that after the city was awarded the right to host the Games in 2005, it was determined to make it a success, and she said the city showed 'confidence and competence' in staging the first international sports event held in Taiwan after 'numerous daunting coordination challenges.' She specifically cited security during the Games' 11 days, calling it 'uncompromising.' She also praised the maturity of Kaohsiung residents, saying that their enthusiastic participation and passionate cheering for athletes from every country was 'touching.' Revenues from ticket sales at the World Games have been initially estimated at NT$65 million. Chen noted Froehlich's praise of Kaohsiung, which she said has displayed friendship, cooperation and community participation, and offered her best wishes to Cali, Colombia, which will host the next World Games in 2013. She said Kaohsiung is an open, rich and pluralistic city that respects human rights and tolerates different views and political stances so long as they are expressed in a peaceful manners. On the absence of the Chinese team from the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Games, she said that as a big country, she expected it to show more grace and tolerance. 