Opening of the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials on Sports Meeting 2025

On the morning of October 13, the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports 2025 (SOMS 16) opened in Hanoi, opening a series of activities within the framework of the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS 8) and related events.

SOMS 16 conference opened on the morning of October 13 in Hanoi .

This year's conference brings together about 200 delegates, including Ministers, Deputy Ministers, heads of sports agencies of ASEAN countries and Timor Leste, and senior officials in the regional sports sector.

This is an important event in the ASEAN sports cooperation process, taking place in the context of the region moving towards a sustainable sports development model, linking achievements, community health and international integration.

In his opening speech, Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet expressed his honor that Vietnam is taking on the role of host of SOMS-16 with the theme “Orientation of sports contributing to sustainable development” demonstrating ASEAN’s common vision in making sports a driving force for health, solidarity and social development.

Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet spoke at the conference.

Over the years, ASEAN sports have achieved many remarkable achievements: the SEA Games were successfully organized, the community sports movement spread widely, many regional athletes affirmed their position in the continental and world arena. However, ASEAN sports are facing many challenges, from social change, the impact of globalization to the need to balance between achievements and comprehensive development.

Based on that reality, Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet outlined four key orientations for the upcoming cooperation period. First, developing sports for health, encouraging all classes of people to practice sports to improve the quality of life. Second, focusing on developing high-performance sports associated with science and technology, aiming to improve the international competitiveness of ASEAN athletes. Third, preserving and promoting traditional sports, maintaining regional cultural identity in the global flow. Finally, strengthening regional and international cooperation, promoting experience exchange, and sharing resources towards sustainable and harmonious development.

Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet emphasized: “Sports are not just about medals or achievements, but also a manifestation of people, culture and solidarity. With the spirit of a united and dynamic ASEAN, I believe that the consensus of member countries will help us build a creative and sustainable ASEAN sports community, contributing to the common prosperity of the region.”

Immediately after the opening ceremony, the conference approved the agenda with many important contents, including the final assessment of the ASEAN Action Plan on Sports for the period 2021-2025, discussion of the ASEAN-FIFA Memorandum of Understanding, and an update on the implementation progress of the ASEAN High Performance Sports Training Center in Malaysia. This is considered a key project, aiming to improve the capacity of coaching, training and professional cooperation among member countries.

In addition, SOMS-16 also spent time discussing the comprehensive sports development strategy in the post-2025 period, linking professional sports, physical education, and sports for people with disabilities. Delegates agreed that sports should become an important tool to promote social inclusion, build healthy lifestyles and strengthen community spirit in the Southeast Asian region.

The series of events will be held from October 13 to 17.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Conference will organize activities to celebrate ASEAN Sports Day, listen to reports on preparations for the 33rd SEA Games and the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Thailand - two events considered symbols of solidarity and organizational capacity of Southeast Asian sports.

SOMS-16 is the opening activity in a series of events of the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports, taking place from October 13 to 17 in Hanoi.

With the theme “Orientation of Sports for Sustainable Development”, this year’s conferences are expected to make important decisions, promote regional sports cooperation and enhance ASEAN’s role on the international sports map.

Vietnam's hosting of SOMS-16 and AMMS-8 not only demonstrates its responsibility in ASEAN's rotation mechanism but is also an opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its position and promote the image of the country and its people to international friends.

The event also contributed to effectively implementing the Party and State's major policies on multilateral foreign affairs, while clearly demonstrating Vietnam's spirit of proactive and creative integration and positive contributions to the common development of the ASEAN Community.

PV

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khai-mac-hoi-nghi-quan-chuc-cap-cao-asean-ve-the-thao-lan-thu-16-nam-2025-post914976.html