The 13th Southeast Asian School Sports Festival, held in Da Nang City from May 29 to June 9, not only evaluated the sporting talents of students in the region but also promoted solidarity among young people, creating opportunities for athletes to exchange and share culture in Southeast Asian countries.

Athletes participating in the relay race.

Winning the Gold Medal in Athletics, Men's 1,500m, Yad Hapizudin, athlete of the Indonesian team shared: "Participating in the Games, I have many beautiful memories. In addition to the joy of achieving high results, I also had the opportunity to exchange and learn from athletes in the region, through which I gained more experiences to develop myself. In particular, this is the first time I have come to Da Nang city, a city with many beautiful landscapes and friendly people."

Nguyen Thanh Phat, a Vietnamese track and field athlete, said: “At the Games, I had the opportunity to interact and talk with many foreign friends. We often exchanged about expertise, techniques, and competition experiences. The teams from other countries were also very interested in learning about Vietnamese culture and language. The Games gave me many unforgettable experiences.”

Pencak Silat athlete of the Philippine team, Eranes John Jotnam C, said that coming to the Games, young athletes have the opportunity to compete in sports expertise. This is also an opportunity for everyone to show their solidarity and respect for each other. In particular, we have more friends from other countries, not only meeting during the Games, but also being able to contact and share culture after the Games end through social networks.

Participating in volunteering to support the Indonesian delegation, being close and attached to the athletes during the competition days, Dang Tan Tai felt reluctant to say goodbye to his new friends. Tai happily said: “Participating in volunteering at the Games, I learned a lot about management skills, planning and foreign languages. In addition, I also understood a lot about Indonesian culture. The athletes are very friendly and sociable. The Games gave me lessons about solidarity, sharing and striving.”

Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Education (Ministry of Education and Training) Tran Van Lam said that the Vietnamese delegation participated in the Games with the aim of strengthening solidarity with students and physical education staff from countries in the region. Through the Games, Vietnamese students have the opportunity to exchange culture and improve their sports achievements. For foreign athletes, this is an opportunity to explore the culture, beautiful landscapes and people of Vietnam.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Son, Minister of Education and Training, Head of the Steering Committee of the Congress affirmed: The Southeast Asian School Sports Festival is the largest sports festival for high school students in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to promote solidarity, international friendship, respect and mutual understanding among countries for the harmonious physical and mental development of students, for a young generation of Southeast Asia to integrate and develop. Not only a place to honor sports talents, the 13th Southeast Asian School Sports Festival is an opportunity for students from 10 ASEAN countries to exchange, learn and connect, in line with the spirit of "Connecting and shining together". The Congress is a symbol of solidarity, joining hands for the future generation, understanding the importance of school sports for the physical development of Southeast Asian students.

“The Southeast Asian School Games is more than just a sporting event. It is also a platform to promote friendship, cross-cultural understanding and build a common community among our countries. Through the Games, we aim to promote excellence in sports, promote the values ​​of mutual respect, team spirit and unity. For young athletes, this is an opportunity to grow and develop, not only as athletes but also as individuals,” emphasized Bayu Rahadian, Secretary General of the Indonesian School Sports Council.