Hanoi to hold 31-day countdown to SEA Games 31

People join a race in Hanoi (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi is to launch a 31-day countdown to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), heard a meeting chaired by Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung on March 31.

A ceremony to kick-start the countdown is scheduled to take place on April 11, together with the Olympic Run Day for Public Health and the 47th edition of the Ha Noi Moi Newspaper Run at Hoan Kiem Lake at the heart of the capital city.

Dung, who is head of the SEA Games 31 organising board of Hanoi, underlined that the regional sporting event is an important chance to promote the city’s image as a safe, friendly and attractive destination to domestic and foreign tourists.

He ordered relevant sides to bolster communication activities and finish the decoration on Hanoi streets by April 11 to celebrate the upcoming Games.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a stronger South East Asia”, will run in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities from May 12 to 23. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and expect to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the pandemic’s impact./.