Hanoi (VNA) – A nationwide sports campaign will be launched at 6:30am on October 10 at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, according to the Sports Authority of Vietnam.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with Vietnam Television (VTV), the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, is expected to draw around 12,000 participants in the capital and connect with 33 provinces and cities nationwide, creating an atmosphere of physical activity. Participants will include military personnel, police officers, Youth Union members, school and university students, athletes, coaches, workers, sports club members, and local residents. The event will feature prominent Vietnamese sports stars, including football stars Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Dinh Bac; track and field athletes Nguyen Thi Oanh and Nguyen Trung Cuong; sepak takraw players Nguyen Thi Ngoc Yen and Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly; and wushu fighter Duong Thuy Vi.The launch ceremony will be broadcast live on VTV1 and VTV6, as well as on the Sports Authority of Vietnam media platforms.
Immediately after the launch drum ceremony, officials and members of the public will take part in a mass run, starting from Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, circling Hoan Kiem Lake and finishing in front of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports at 47 Hang Dau Street.
Spreading a call that “Everyone should choose at least one suitable sport to practise regularly”, the campaign aims to raise public awareness of the role of physical activity in improving health, fitness and the physical stature of Vietnamese people. The core motto of the programme is “One Nation in Motion, a Healthy Vietnam”, encouraging everyone to choose at least one sport suited to their circumstances, interests and physical condition and practise it regularly over the long term.
According to the organisers, the meet-and-greet with athletes will be held on Dinh Tien Hoang Street.
Beyond interacting with fans, athletes and coaches will provide hands-on guidance in basic techniques, take part in challenges and join friendly matches with members of the public. Through these activities, the organisers hope to bring elite sport closer to the community and inspire a love of physical activity, particularly among young people.
In addition to the meet-and-greet, the programme will feature martial arts and physical training demonstrations by the armed forces. At 8:30 am on October 10, the People's Public Security forces will perform on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, in front of the Ly Thai To Monument. At 9 am, the People's Army will stage martial arts and physical training demonstrations involving around 1,500 officers and soldiers, including approximately 500 special forces personnel.
On October 10 and 11, the area around Hoan Kiem Lake will also host a range of sports activities for the public. Visitors can try or learn about pickleball, badminton, table tennis, sepak takraw, shuttlecock kicking, chess, Chinese chess, golf, 3x3 basketball, roller sports, sports walking, stick pushing and tug-of-war, among other activities.
Demonstrations and introductory sessions in Vovinam, judo, wushu, taekwondo and traditional Vietnamese martial arts will also be held in front of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.
The organisers will also set up areas offering basic health consultations and checks, guidance on exercise methods and opportunities for participants to pledge to maintain regular physical activity.
These activities aim to achieve the programme's goals, shifting from simply encouraging attendance at sporting events to gradually making regular exercise a natural part of daily life./.
