Cambodia marked the ASEAN Sports Day 2024 at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on Aug. 10 to strengthen and promote sports in all ASEAN member countries.

The annual event is also aimed to raise people’s awareness on ASEAN and promote a healthy and harmonious ASEAN lifestyle in accordance with the motto of ‘ One Vision, One Identity and One Community,’ said H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Moreover, he continued, the celebration is to inspire the Cambodian people as well as those of the entire ASEAN community to participate in all kinds of sports to enhance their health, strengthen friendship, solidarity and communication, and boost the sports sector of the ASEAN Member States.

According to H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Indonesia is also organising the celebration of ASEAN Sports Day 2024 on the same day and invited a Cambodian delegation to participate and perform Bokator, a national traditional sport and the national identity of Cambodia.

Cambodia h
as observed the event since 2017. This year, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has organised 6 kinds of sports such as athletics, aerobic gymnastics, men’s football, volleyball, basketball, and Kun Khmer.

The commemoration of ASEAN Sports Day follows the decision of the ASEAN Sports Ministers’ Meeting on Aug. 14, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the 4th ASEAN Sports Ministers’ Meeting in October 2017 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar that all ASEAN member countries should hold the ASEAN Sports Day as close as possible to Aug. 8, the birth date of ASEAN, with a view to raising ASEAN awareness and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Cambodia became a member of ASEAN on April 30, 1999, and the Cambodian Constitution states the government’s attention to the field of physical education and sports, which is the welfare of all citizens.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse