Nguyễn Danh Hoàng Việt, director of the Sports Authority of Vietnam, addresses the opening of the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS 16). VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — The 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS 16) has opened in Hà Nội with the participation of about 200 delegates, including ministers, deputy ministers, heads of sports agencies from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, alongside senior sports officials from the region.

In his opening speech on October 13, Nguyễn Danh Hoàng Việt, director of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised that this year's theme Navigating Sports – Contributing to Sustainable Development reflects the shared vision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to make sports a driving force for health, unity, and social development.

Việt noted that in recent years, ASEAN sports have achieved remarkable successes, hosting successful SEA Games, promoting community sports activities, and numerous athletes from the region establishing their positions on the continental and world stage. However, to achieve sustainable development, ASEAN sports must address challenges such as social changes, the pressures of international integration, and the need to balance performance with development.

An overview of the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports.

In this spirit, ASEAN nations will continue to cooperate on key goals, such as developing sports for public health and community welfare, improving the quality of life through regular physical activity, and promoting high-performance sports linked with science and technology to enhance athletes in the region.

ASEAN will also continue to focus on preserving and promoting traditional sports, creating a distinct identity amidst global integration, he said.

Sports are not only about medals or achievements, but a reflection of people, culture, and unity, he underlined. With the spirit of a united and dynamic ASEAN, the consensus of member states will help build a creative, sustainable ASEAN sports community that contributes to the region’s shared prosperity.

Following the opening session, the conference approved the agenda, which includes the final evaluation of the ASEAN Sports Action Plan for the 2021-25 period, the ASEAN-FIFA Memorandum of Understanding, and the ASEAN High Performance Sports Training Centre in Malaysia – a key project aimed at improving training capabilities and developing sports in the region.

In the afternoon, SOMS 16 celebrated the ASEAN Sports Day, and listened to reports on the preparations for the 33rd SEA Games and 13th ASEAN Para Games in Thailand – two events seen as benchmarks for the spirit of unity and organisational capacity of Southeast Asian sports. VNA/VNS