“Opportunity to affirm position and introduce Vietnam's image”

VHO - From October 13-17, Vietnam is honored to take on the role of rotating Chair and host of the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) and related conferences. The event marks an important turning point, affirming Vietnam's role and prestige in regional sports cooperation. Van Hoa Newspaper had an interview with Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet about the orientation and vision for Vietnam's sports development and the sustainable values ​​that this Conference brings.

The conference is expected to plan a sustainable development strategy for regional sports in the coming time.

Reporter: Sir, the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (from October 13-15) is being held and AMMS-8 and related conferences will take place on October 16-17. Vietnam is highly appreciated for its professional and thoughtful organization. What do you expect from hosting these important events?

- Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet: In 2025, Vietnam will not only be the host country but also hold the rotating role of Chair of ASEAN Sports Cooperation. Within this framework, we will not only organize the ASEAN Sports Ministers Meeting (AMMS-8) and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-16) but also host the 5th AMMS + Japan and the 2nd AMMS + China, along with many meaningful sideline activities.

As Chair, Vietnam invites friends from ASEAN, China and Japan to attend conferences in Hanoi - the capital of a thousand years of culture, the center of peace and cooperation. Under the close guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam Sports Administration determined that this is not only a forum for policy discussion, but also a valuable opportunity to promote the image of the country and people of Vietnam as friendly, hospitable and dynamic.

In particular, the consistent spirit that we aim for is to properly implement the Ministry's major orientation: "Culture is the foundation - Information is the conduit - Sports is the strength - Tourism is the connecting bridge". From organizing the Conference to implementing other sports activities, we always aim to connect and spread common values ​​among the four areas of state management of the Ministry. Because only when sports develop in a harmonious relationship with culture and tourism, can we create sustainable development, both enhancing the country's position and contributing to boosting the economy and promoting the national image in the international arena.

As you just mentioned, sports will combine harmoniously with other fields for sustainable development. Specifically, how is that thinking demonstrated through hosting this Summit, sir?

- In addition to ensuring professional requirements, we consider the Conference as a comprehensive event, combining sports - culture - tourism. The Department of Sports and Physical Training has coordinated with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to design a space to display images, to introduce to ASEAN delegates and international friends the unique beauty of Vietnamese culture, nature and people.

In addition, we plan to organize tours to visit famous places and heritage sites, so that international delegates can see with their own eyes the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, Turtle Tower, or further away, Ha Long Bay, Trang An, Bat Trang pottery village, cultural and creative symbols of the Vietnamese people. Each destination is not only a tourist destination but also a "living identity", expressing the soul, history and spirit of the nation.

We hope that through this event, international friends will not only attend the conference, but also bring back good impressions of Vietnam, a safe, friendly and open destination. From there, sports will become a bridge of friendship, contributing to promoting tourism and promoting the national image.

One of the highlights of this conference is promoting the development of sports economy in the region. How do you evaluate this trend in ASEAN as well as the reality in Vietnam?

- Sports economy is an inevitable trend. In ASEAN, this trend has taken shape but is not yet clearly systematic. Meanwhile, in Asia, Korea is a model worth referring to. Not only does Korea have a leading sports development, it also turns sports into a real economic sector by organizing major tournaments, building a sports commercial value chain, connecting media, technology and popular culture, thereby creating revenue and national brand.

Korea was able to do that because they clearly defined the role of the State in policy creation, while strongly promoting socialized resources. Vietnam has many similarities with Korea (dynamism, young population, potential market) and this is the right time for us to learn and develop a sports economic model with Vietnamese identity.

In the near future, we will gradually build a sports economic ecosystem from event organization, copyright management, media promotion to sports industry development. It is important to change the mindset that sports is not only a competition, but also a creative economy.

Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet delivered the opening speech at the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-16)

Can you share more about the specific directions of the industry in developing sports economy after this Conference?

- We are implementing the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to connect sports with other fields to both develop the industry and contribute to the national economy. Starting from 2026, departments and units when organizing sports events will have to innovate comprehensively.

Previously, sports events were only for fans of that sport. Now, we want to expand to the public. A sports tournament is not just a competition, but must become a highly entertaining cultural and social event, where people feel the vibrant atmosphere like a “sports concert”.

From the opening and closing ceremonies to the sideline activities, every step requires careful and creative investment. When sports are combined with music, technology, tourism and media, it will become a source of stimulating the local economy, attracting tourists, promoting the country's image, and at the same time nurturing the love of sports in the community.

Another issue that we are particularly interested in is the work of statistics and measurement of the contribution of the sports economy. Currently, the data system is not yet complete. In the coming time, the Department of Sports and Physical Training will closely coordinate with specialized agencies to build a standardized data system to be able to provide telling numbers - clear evidence of the role of sports in economic growth and social development.

The theme of the AMMS-8 Conference is “Sports Orientation, Contributing to Sustainable Development”. Could you share the key message that Vietnam wants to convey through this theme?

- This theme reflects the region’s shared vision of making sport a driver of health, solidarity and social development. Sustainable sport is not just about medals or achievements, but about people, culture and community engagement.

With the spirit of “A united and dynamic ASEAN”, I believe that the consensus of member countries will help us build a creative, sustainable and unique ASEAN Sports Community, contributing to the common prosperity of the region, while creating new marks for Asian and world sports.

Thank you! I wish the AMMS-8 Conference and related conferences great success, contributing to enhancing Vietnam's position on the ASEAN and international sports map.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/co-hoi-khang-dinh-vi-the-va-gioi-thieu-hinh-anh-viet-nam-174810.html