Vietnam hosts the 8th ASEAN Sports Ministers Meeting: Orienting sports to contribute to sustainable development

Vietnam is honored to host the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) and related conferences in Hanoi. This is the region’s most important event in the field of sports, contributing to shaping the direction of cooperation and development of ASEAN sports in the new period, with the theme “Orientation of sports contributing to sustainable development”.

Milestone of ASEAN sports cooperation

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.

In 2025, under the rotation mechanism, Vietnam will officially take on the role of chairing 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).

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With an 8-day duration in Hanoi (October 11-18, 2025), AMMS-8 is not only a place for policy discussions but also a meeting point for friendship, understanding and cooperation within the ASEAN Community.

Many important issues will be discussed at the Conference.

This conference will focus on discussing many important contents, comprehensively reflecting the development of regional sports in the new period. The focus will include: 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 an ASEAN High Performance Sports Center to create an environment for training, exchanging expertise and improving athletes; at the same time promoting the role of sports in improving public health, contributing to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development.

It is expected that the Conference will adopt three Joint Statements: AMMS-8 Joint Statement, 5th AMMS+Japan Joint Statement and 2nd AMMS+China Joint Statement. In addition, relevant reports and documents of SOMS-15 and SOMS-16, along with the cooperation plan for the period after 2025, will also be reviewed and approved.

One of the important highlights at AMMS-8 is the expansion of sports cooperation between ASEAN and international partners outside the region. At the Conference, Vietnam and ASEAN member countries will discuss and approve specific cooperation plans, including: ASEAN + Japan Sports Cooperation Plan, focusing on women and sports, physical education, sports for people with disabilities and sustainable development through football; ASEAN + China Sports Cooperation Plan in the fields of health promotion, building ASEAN sports zones, developing traditional sports. In addition, ASEAN also promotes cooperation with many other partners such as Korea, FIFA, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SEARADO).

These activities affirm that ASEAN is increasingly demonstrating its role as an open, dynamic sports community ready for international integration.

Vietnam – host role and international responsibility

The 15th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports – SOMS 15 will take place in Vietnam in October 2024

As the host country, Vietnam has made careful preparations and is ready to welcome about 200 delegates to the Conference. Participants include Ministers, Deputy Ministers or heads of sports agencies of ASEAN countries and Timor Leste; senior ASEAN sports officials; representatives of ministries, sports agencies of Japan, China and relevant international organizations. On the Vietnamese side, there are also leaders of the Government, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, representatives of ministries, branches and domestic guests.

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 at the same time strengthen friendship and mutual understanding within 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.

Hosting AMMS-8 will help Vietnam gain more access to 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.

In particular, the initiative to establish the ASEAN High Performance Sports Center promises to open up opportunities for Vietnamese athletes and coaches to train and exchange in the regional environment, improving their professional quality and ability to integrate internationally.

After AMMS-8, Vietnam is expected to continue to play a leading and coordinating role in regional sports cooperation initiatives. Prestige and experience in organizing regional-scale events will be a stepping stone for Vietnam to confidently host more large-scale international tournaments and conferences in the future. More importantly, the success of this Conference will contribute to strengthening the image of Vietnam as a proactive, responsible and dynamic country in ASEAN cooperation, creating a foundation for sports to become a people-to-people diplomacy channel, promoting regional cohesion and international integration.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/viet-nam-dang-cai-hoi-nghi-bo-truong-the-thao-asean-lan-thu-8-dinh-huong-the-thao-gop-phan-phat-trien-ben-vung-20250929110902531.htm