About 70 delegates from 10 ASEAN countries, Japan and China as well as representative of the ASEAN Secretariat and country partners attended the event in person and online.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong warmly welcomed all delegations to the SOMS-15 and related conferences which will be held in three days from October 14-16.
The Deputy Minister also sent his deep thanks to ASEAN member countries for sending aids and supporting the Vietnamese people to overcome the heavy impact of Typhoon Yagi last month in the northern provinces of Vietnam. He said this action once again demonstrated that ASEAN was a united, unified and close-knit weaving community.
In the context of the world and the region experiencing many changes and challenges, the development of information technology and digital communications has contributed to narrowing the gaps in space and time between ASEAN member countries. It helps people access easier and better to media and other fields including sports.
ASEAN needs to have comprehensive and strategic vision; enhance initiative and adaptability to seize opportunities, resolve challenges, and look towards stable and sustainable development.
For the ASEAN community, sport serves as an essential means of improving people's physique and healthy lifestyle, connecting the community, promoting peace, thereby contributing to socio-economic development of the region.
In that spirit, Deputy Minister Cuong requested all delegates to actively discuss together for new initiatives and directions; propose sport development strategies and comprehensive and sustainable; plan specific programs which would be suitable for ASEAN member countries; and increase the application of digital transformation in the field of sports.
These issues will be submitted to the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) in 2025 for approval and implementation. From there, the achievement of ASEAN sport cooperation in particular and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) in general would strongly contribute to the comprehensive development process of the ASEAN community.
On this occasion, Deputy Minister Cuong sent his respectful thanks to ASEAN member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat for always accompanying and supporting Vietnam's activities in sports cooperation over the past time, especially at the 31st SEA Games in 2022, which took place when the COVID-19 pandemic situation was still unpredictable.
He said Vietnam hoped to continue to receive positive and effective cooperation from all parties in the upcoming time through initiatives and projects chaired by Vietnam with the focus of organising successfully the AMMS-8 and related conferences in 2025 in Hanoi.
Vietnam sport today has gradually developed and deeply integrated into the region, continent and the world. In particular the country has made suitable preparation for the next athlete generations to actively participate in the regional Southeast Asian Games, continental Asian Games and Olympic Games.
To achieve these goals, Vietnam maps out annual training and competition plans for athletes at all levels, strictly following the criteria of each Games level. The best athletes of local competitions will be selected for further intensive training to participate in international tournaments.
At the SOMS-15, the ASEAN Secretariat will update on follow-up actions on the decisions of SOMS-14 which was held in 2023 in Thailand. Delegates will jointly review and implement the ASEAN action plan on sports for the period 2021-25, accompanied by a number of other important projects and events.
Also at the meeting, ASEAN member countries will report on their activities in 2024 in response to the ASEAN Sports Day. The representative of the Thai delegation will report on the preparation to host the 33rd SEA Games and 13th ASEAN Para Games in 2025.
As chair of the event, Vietnam will officially announce the time and location of the SOMS-16 and the AMMS-8 in 2025. /.
Thanh Ha