The flag raising ceremony for the sports delegations of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) was held at the My Dinh National Sports Complex in Hanoi on the morning of May 11. The 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) takes place from May 12 to 23 in Hanoi and 11 other localities across Vietnam, marking the second time the country has hosted the regional sporting event. For over half a century, the SEA Games have enthralled sports fans and helped promote solidarity and friendship among countries in the region. More than 60 years ago, a consensus was reached that Southeast Asian nations shared many similarities in terms of lifestyles, cultures, climate and physique. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
Each of the 11 participating countries sent 31 members to the ceremony which also saw the participation of representatives from foreign embassies. The Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games Federation was set up on May 22, 1958 and changed its name to the Southeast Asian Games Federation in 1977, while the SEAP Games were renamed the SEA Games. Delegations of the Southeast Asian Peninsular attended the third Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan and agreed to set up a regional sporting organisation named the South East Asian Peninsular Games Federation (SEAP). The federation aimed to strengthen friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding among countries in the region as well as help countries improve sporting performance, techniques and strategies. The main focus of the federation is to create conditions for athletes to train to obtain better results at the Asian Games and Olympic Games. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The flag raising ceremony aims to encourage athletes, while promoting the culture and people of Vietnam. The first ever meeting of the SEAP Games Federation was held on June 5, 1959 in Bangkok, Thailand, where a charter was adopted and an executive board elected. President of the Thailand National Olympic Committee Prabhas Charustiara was elected the first president of the federation, with members comprising delegates of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (now Myanmar), Thailand and Vietnam. Also at the event, a symbol of six yellow circles linked together was chosen as its symbol, representing the six founding members. Delegates also agreed to hold the SEAP Games biennially between the Olympic Games and Asian Games. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The event saw the participation of 400 delegates, athletes from Southeast Asian countries as well as international reporters. The competitions were decided by the SEAP Games Federation under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia. Each member country could send up to three delegates to the Council. The first SEAP Games was hosted in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 12-17 in 1959 with the participation of 527 athletes from Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam competing in 12 sports. In 1965, Singapore was admitted to the federation after it separated from Malaysia to become an independent state. At the eighth SEAP Games in 1975 in Bangkok, Thailand, the federation considered Indonesia and the Philippines’ membership. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The flag raising ceremony of SEA Games 31 left an unforgettable experience for athletes participating at the Games. In 1965, Singapore was admitted to the federation after it separated from Malaysia to become an independent state. At the eighth SEAP Games in 1975 in Bangkok, Thailand, the federation considered Indonesia and the Philippines’ membership. Two years later, the two countries were admitted and the names of the federation and the event was changed to the Southeast Asian Games (SEA) Federation and SEA Games, respectively. At the 10th SEA Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1979, Brunei became a member of the SEA Games Federation. Twenty years later, at the 20th SEA Games hosted in Brunei, the country’s Olympic Council proposed to increase the number of circles in the federation’s logo from 6 to 10. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
Each country's sports delegation attending the flag-hoisting ceremony consists of 31 members, representing 31 SEA Games editions, along with representatives of the 10 Southeast Asian countries' embassies in Hanoi. The flag of the federation has a blue background and contains connected circles, highlighting a message of peace, solidarity and friendship among member nations. At the 22nd SEA Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2003, Timor Leste competed in the event for the first time. At the 27th SEA Games hosted by Myanmar, the number of circles on the federation’s symbol rose to 11, representing solidarity among regional people. It was made the official symbol of the federation. Thailand and Malaysia have both hosted the most Games with six; Singapore, while Indonesia, and the Philippines have hosted four times; Myanmar three times; Vietnam twice and Brunei and Laos once each. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong extended his warm welcome to the participating delegations. Vietnam’s sports delegation has joined the Games since its inception. Before 1975, the South of Vietnam, a founding member of the SEAP Games Federation, sent athletes to the Games’ editions from the first (in 1959) to the seventh (in 1973). After the country’s reunification in 1975, Vietnam has gradually rejoined activities of the SEA Games Federation. Following a 13-year absence from the eighth to 14th edition of the Games (from 1975 to 1987), Vietnam’s sports delegation returned to the regional event at the 15th SEA Games in 1989. Vietnam ranked seventh at the 15th and 16th SEA Games, then jumped to the fourth and first spot at the 21st and 22nd Games. The country was the runner-up at the 25th and 30th SEA Games. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The flag raising ceremony aims to encourage athletes, while promoting the culture and people of Vietnam. SEA Games 31 features all the Olympic sports for the first time in the spirit of nobility, bravery, creativity, and honesty. The Vietnamese delegation to SEA Games 31 consists of 1,341 members, including 951 athletes, 250 coaches, and 30 experts, and is led by Deputy General Director of the Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan. They compete in 508 events across the 40 sports and are aiming for at least 140 gold medals to top the medal standings. In particular, they are determined to defend the men’s and women’s football crowns. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The warm and solemn ceremony leaves a deep impression on athletes and attendees, creating a joyful, friendly atmosphere, bringing excitement and solidarity. The flag-hoisting ceremony aims to fuel encouragement to athletes, while promoting the culture and people of Vietnam. The first ever meeting of the SEAP Games Federation was held on June 5, 1959 in Bangkok, Thailand, where a charter was adopted and an executive board elected. President of the Thailand National Olympic Committee Prabhas Charustiara was elected the first president of the federation, with members comprising delegates of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (now Myanmar), Thailand and Vietnam. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
Themed “For a Stronger Southeast Asia”, SEA Games 31 looked towards not only the success of a regional sporting event but also an occasion for showing solidarity and friendship, and a platform for cultural exchanges among countries in the region. At the send-off ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation on April 28, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said the Games reflect Vietnam’s role and sense of responsibility towards sports in Southeast Asia, and also illustrates the country as a proactive and responsible member of ASEAN that makes wholehearted contributions to the bloc’s development. For over half a century, the SEA Games have enthralled sports fans and helped promote solidarity and friendship among countries in the region. More than 60 years ago, a consensus was reached that Southeast Asian nations shared many similarities in terms of lifestyles, cultures, climate and physique. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The national flag of Vietnam was hoisted at the ceremony. The Vietnamese delegation to SEA Games 31 consists of 1,341 members, including 951 athletes, 250 coaches, and 30 experts, and is led by Deputy General Director of the Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan. They compete in 508 events across the 40 sports and are aiming for at least 140 gold medals to top the medal standings. In particular, they are determined to defend the men’s and women’s football crowns. . SEA Games 22 opened at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on December 5, 2003, and was the first of its kind to be held in Vietnam and also a milestone in the country’s integration into the region. Nineteen years later, the Games have returned to Vietnam. To prepare for SEA Games 31, the Organising Committee, with nine sub-committees and one operations board, took the initiative early. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
Featuring 40 sports and 523 events to be held in Hanoi and 11 nearby localities, the Games started with the first matches of the men’s football on May 6. The official opening ceremony was held at My Dinh National Stadium on May 12. Themed “For a Stronger Southeast Asia”, SEA Games 31 looked towards not only the success of a regional sporting event but also an occasion for showing solidarity and friendship, and a platform for cultural exchanges among countries in the region. At the send-off ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation on April 28, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said the Games reflect Vietnam’s role and sense of responsibility towards sports in Southeast Asia, and also illustrates the country as a proactive and responsible member of ASEAN that makes wholehearted contributions to the bloc’s development. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The flags of the sports delegations to the SEA Games 31 were hoisted at the ceremony. SEA Games 22 opened at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on December 5, 2003, and was the first of its kind to be held in Vietnam and also a milestone in the country’s integration into the region. Nineteen years later, the Games have returned to Vietnam. To prepare for SEA Games 31, the Organising Committee, with nine sub-committees and one operations board, took the initiative early. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that Vietnam will successfully host SEA Games 31 in the spirit of “solidarity, unity, safety, effectiveness, and thrift” with a high sense of responsibility that conforms with the Games’ theme “For a Stronger Southeast Asia”. (Photo: Vietnamplus) 
The flag-hoisting ceremony for the sports delegations of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) was held at the My Dinh National Sports Complex in Hanoi on the morning of May 11. The 31st SEA Games, slated for May 12 to 23, marks the second time that Vietnam has hosted the event. SEA Games 31 was initially scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 2, 2021. However, it was delayed to May 12-23, 2022 due to the complicated developments of COVID-19. rom the initial target of integration and learning from international friends, Vietnamese athletes can now hold their heads high when competing at international events, especially those in martial arts. The Vietnamese delegation’s achievements have been rising in each edition of the Games. (Photo: Vietnamplus) VNA
