Sports contribute to sustainable development

VHO - The Vietnam Sports Administration has just held a press conference to provide information on the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) and related conferences in 2025. The conference is expected to welcome about 200 delegates, including Ministers, Deputy Ministers, heads of sports agencies of ASEAN countries and Timor Leste; ASEAN senior officials on sports; representatives of ministries and sports agencies of Japan, China and related international organizations.

Orientation for ASEAN Sports Development in the New Period

According to information from the Vietnam Sports Administration, in 2025, under the rotation mechanism, Vietnam will officially take on the role of hosting the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on Sports (SOMS 16), the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) and related meetings, including: the 5th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports + Japan (AMMS + Japan 5) and the 2nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports + China (AMMS + China 2) and other related events scheduled to be held right before AMMS-8.

Sports contribute to uniting ASEAN countries. Photo: QUY LUONG

Officially taking place from October 13 to 17, with the theme: “Navigating Sports - Contributing to Sustainable Development”, this Conference focused on discussing many important contents, comprehensively reflecting the development of regional sports in the new period. The focus includes developing professional sports associated with science and sports economics to enhance international competitiveness; promoting gender equality, encouraging the participation of women, youth and people with disabilities; preserving and promoting traditional sports, connecting with ASEAN culture and identity; establishing the ASEAN High Performance Sports Center to create an environment for training, exchanging expertise and improving athletes.

At the same time, promote the role of sports in improving public health, contributing to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development; promote cooperation between ASEAN member countries and dialogue countries (Japan, China, Korea...) and international organizations; enhance the role and responsibility of Vietnam in ASEAN's specialized cooperation mechanism; promote the image of the country and people of Vietnam to international friends, strengthen friendship and mutual understanding in the ASEAN community.

The Conference is expected to adopt Joint Statements and other important documents, assess the implementation results of the ASEAN Sports Action Plan for the period 2021-2025; discuss and develop directions and plans for ASEAN sports activities for the next period, adopt the results of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meetings on Sports; develop a plan for ASEAN sports cooperation with Japan, China and other partners. In addition, relevant reports and documents of SOMS 15 and SOMS 16, along with a cooperation plan for the period after 2025, will also be reviewed and approved.

One of the important highlights at AMMS-8 is to coordinate with the ASEAN Secretariat to comment on documents and promote cooperation with many other partners such as: Korea, the International Football Federation (FIFA), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SEARADO).

Promoting ASEAN Sports Cooperation

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, Director of the Vietnam Sports Department, emphasized: “Hosting the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Sports and related conferences is an opportunity to affirm Vietnam's role and position in the region, while promoting ASEAN sports cooperation. This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to access international management experience, development models and resources. Fields such as: Sports Science, Physical Education, Sports for the Disabled, and School Sports will be promoted through international cooperation, thereby enhancing the comprehensive capacity of Vietnamese Sports”.

Hosting AMMS-8 is not only a responsibility within the ASEAN sports cooperation mechanism but also an important opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its role and international prestige; promote the image of the country, people and sports of Vietnam to regional friends; and strengthen friendship and mutual understanding in the ASEAN community. This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to effectively implement the major policies of the Party and State on multilateral diplomacy, in the spirit of Conclusion No. 59-KL/TW of the Politburo, Directive No. 25-CT/TW of the Secretariat and Decision No. 161/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister.

The first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS) was held in 2011 in Indonesia, agreeing on a mechanism to hold the event every two years. After 14 years, AMMS has become an important high-level forum, contributing to promoting cooperation, policy exchange and action in the field of sports among ASEAN member countries.

Hosting AMMS-8 will create conditions for Vietnam to have deeper access to resources, management experience and advanced sports development models from countries in the region. Limited areas such as sports science, sports medicine, physical education in schools or sports for the disabled will be strongly promoted thanks to cooperation exchanges, thereby improving the comprehensive capacity of Vietnam's sports. In particular, the initiative to establish an ASEAN High Performance Sports Center is expected to continue to be discussed at the Conference, promising to open up opportunities for Vietnamese athletes and coaches to train and exchange in the regional environment, thereby improving their expertise and ability to integrate in the international arena. This is an important preparation step for Vietnamese sports to aim for higher goals in the future.

Successfully hosting AMMS 8 will spread the image of a positive, responsible and dynamic Vietnam, ready for deep integration through sports. Sports become an effective people-to-people diplomacy channel, helping to bring ASEAN countries closer together and strengthen solidarity within the bloc. The message of a proactive, responsible and integrated Vietnam from this conference will affirm our country's determination to contribute to building a strong, sustainably developing ASEAN community in the spirit of cooperation and friendship. It is this effort and spirit of deep integration that is raising Vietnam's position not only on the regional sports map but also in the eyes of the international community.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/the-thao-gop-phan-phat-trien-ben-vung-173761.html