At the beginning of the meeting, Chairman Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet wished Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes a successful and effective term in Vietnam. Along with that, the Chairman expressed his hope that the Ambassador would dedicate more time to the cooperative relationship between the two sides, especially in the field of sports and physical education.
Chairman of the Vietnam Sports Authority Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet receives the Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes
Thanks for taking the time to receive the meeting. Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes emphasised that the invitation from the Chairman is an honour and also a responsibility to further strengthen cooperation between the two sides in the field of sports. Sharing his perspective, Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes affirmed that the cooperative relationship between Cuba and Vietnam is a strong and comprehensive one, with positive contributions from the sports of both countries.
According to Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, he visited Vietnam 30 years ago. The second time Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes visited Vietnam was in 1996 to prepare for the World Festival of Youth and Students in Cuba in 1997. The Ambassador was still very impressed by the large number of young people and students that Vietnam sent to attend the event at that time, many of whom had grown up and held important positions in the government.
During the reception, the Ambassador also expressed admiration for the Vietnamese people's passionate love of sports. He could feel that love every time he saw the jubilant crowds filling the streets when Vietnamese sports teams won. Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes believes that every victory in sports reflects cultural identity and national pride. Whenever an athlete from a country receives a major award, stands on the podium, and sings the national anthem under the national flag, it is a moment of great pride for the entire nation. Sports are a message of peace sent to the entire world!
Therefore, returning to Vietnam this time, Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes expressed his desire to further promote and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in the field of sports between the two countries, in order to fully exploit the potential that both sides have yet to tap.
The meeting took place on the morning of November 6th at the Sports Authority
Accordingly, Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes hopes that the two sides can proceed with signing a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of Sports. Along with this is coordinating preparations for major sporting events, including the Olympic Games.
Appreciating the recent achievements of some Vietnamese sports, such as shooting and weightlifting, Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes hopes that Cuban athletes will have the opportunity to come to Vietnam to enjoy the training facilities and exchange experiences with Vietnamese athletes.
Cuba is also ready to send experts to support Vietnam in some of its strong sports; applying scientific and technological advancements and exchanging faculty and students between sports schools are also topics that Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes is interested in and wishes to promote.
Chairman Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet emphasised: Thank you for the positive reviews that Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes has given to Vietnamese sports over the past time. The Vietnamese people always appreciate the affection of the Cuban people throughout our historical journey. Regarding the sports sector specifically, we have always received the attention of the Party and the State; we have been invested in terms of infrastructure as well as the remuneration and policies for those working in the sports field. Based on this, the sports movement among the people has been promoted...
The Chairman specifically mentioned that in recent years, many Vietnamese students have had the opportunity to study and exchange in Cuba, and have since returned to work and contribute to the domestic sports industry.
Fully agreeing with Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes' view on creating conditions for coaches and athletes from both countries to train, practice, and compete in friendly matches to promote their respective strong sports, Chairman Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet also directly extended an invitation to Cuba to participate in several international open sports tournaments to be held in Vietnam in the near future.
Appreciating the development of Cuban medicine, Chairman Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet proposed promoting the exchange and sharing of achievements in medicine and sports science.
Further promote Vietnam-Cuba cooperation in the field of sports.
2026 will be a busy year for Vietnamese sports with 7 major events that Vietnam will participate in and host. Among them are two major games: the ASIAD and the National Sports Games. Chairman Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet hopes: The two sides will coordinate to achieve important accomplishments. The Chairman assigns the International Cooperation Division (Office of the Authority) to coordinate with the Cuban Embassy in developing a plan and roadmap for future cooperation.
Huyen Trang