Sports - a bridge for peace, friendship and sustainable development of ASEAN

The 8th ASEAN Sports Ministers Meeting (AMMS 8) opened on the morning of October 16, 2020 in Hanoi, emphasizing the role of sports as a bridge connecting peace, friendship and towards sustainable development in the region.

Sports - a symbol of solidarity and understanding between nations

The opening conference was chaired by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung. The event was attended by ministers, heads of sports delegations from 10 ASEAN member countries, Timor Leste and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat, to review sports cooperation in the 2021-2025 period and orient the new Action Plan 2026-2030.

In his opening speech, Minister Nguyen Van Hung emphasized: “Sports is a bridge of peace , friendship and sustainable development. Through sports, we not only build a healthy community but also strengthen trust, solidarity and understanding among ASEAN peoples.”

The 8th ASEAN Sports Ministers Meeting took place in Hanoi (Vietnam)

The Minister expressed his deep gratitude to the member states and the ASEAN Secretariat for their close cooperation during Vietnam's tenure as ASEAN Chair. He affirmed that Vietnam will continue to promote joint initiatives, especially the effective implementation of the ASEAN-FIFA and ASEAN-WADA cooperation agreements and the completion of the ASEAN Action Plan on Sports for the 2026-2030 period.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung delivered the opening speech.

ASEAN Sports Cooperation 2021-2025: Connectivity and Sustainability

At the conference, Ms. Le Thi Hoang Yen - Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration - presented the summary report of the 15th and 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS). Accordingly, in the period of 2021-2025, ASEAN countries have completed about 94% of the targets of the Action Plan on Sports, focusing on developing community sports, school sports, sports for people with disabilities and improving management capacity.

The cooperation programs have been effectively implemented thanks to the support of dialogue partners such as China, Japan, Korea, FIFA, WADA and many other international organizations. These results continue to affirm ASEAN as a cohesive, responsible community and oriented towards sustainable development through sports.

Delegates at the conference

Vietnam also emphasizes the role of sports in the national social welfare system, considering it an important tool to help improve health, improve quality of life and spread a healthy lifestyle.

Transition for the period 2026-2030

On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong presented a report summarizing the results of SOMS 16 and new initiatives. He said that Vietnam has completed the draft of the ASEAN-FIFA Memorandum of Understanding on Football Development and Sports Integrity, which is expected to be signed at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in October 2025.

The ASEAN-WADA Memorandum of Understanding on Anti-Doping has also been approved by the countries, aiming to improve compliance capacity and standardize doping control processes in the region.

Mr. Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia, presented the initiative at the conference.

Regarding the 2026-2030 orientation, Mr. Hoang Dao Cuong proposed four key priorities: Innovation in training coaches and athletes, applying digital transformation in managing and organizing sports events, promoting sustainable, environmentally friendly sports and enhancing the role of sports in building a united, peaceful and prosperous ASEAN community.

Vision 2030: A united, dynamic and prosperous ASEAN through sports

The 8th AMMS Conference highly agreed with Vietnam's proposals and assessed that new initiatives will contribute to perfecting the comprehensive ASEAN sports cooperation framework, creating a foundation for the 2026-2030 period.

The heads of delegations affirmed that sports will continue to be a source of inspiration for the younger generation and a tool to promote peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the ASEAN Community. Vietnam was recognized for its effective coordination, leadership and deep integration in the regional sports sector.

Representative of Indonesia

At the end of the morning session, Minister Nguyen Van Hung expressed his belief that: “AMMS 8 is not only a place to evaluate achievements, but also an opportunity for us to work towards a more prosperous ASEAN - where sports become a driving force for unity, development and spreading humanistic values, peace and happiness”.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung once again affirmed the importance of sports in the three main pillars of ASEAN – politics-security, economy and culture-society. He emphasized that sports not only strengthen security and improve health, but also act as a bridge connecting people, promoting understanding and friendship between countries.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam also highly appreciated Indonesia’s initiative on the Olympic program, considering it an opportunity for ASEAN countries to learn and develop together. He acknowledged Malaysia’s proposal on sports economic development – ​​a practical direction to link sports with sustainable growth.

“Sports not only contribute to health but also bring economic, cultural and social values. This is proof that sports is a field that converges all factors for comprehensive human development,” Minister Nguyen Van Hung emphasized.

On the afternoon of October 16, the 8th AMMS Conference continued under the chairmanship of Mr. Hoang Dao Cuong to review and approve the Joint Statement of AMMS 8 as well as the time and venue of the 9th AMMS Conference.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/the-thao-cau-noi-hoa-binh-huu-nghi-va-phat-trien-ben-vung-cua-asean-185251016143817809.htm