(VOVWORLD) - Over 1,3000 student athletes from 10 ASEAN countries attended opening ceremony of the 13th ASEAN Schools Games (ASG) at the Tien Son Sports Complex in Da Nang city on Saturday.
 The opening of the 13th ASEAN Schools Games in Da Nang, Vietnam |
After the parade of 10 sports delegations from 10 Southeast Asian countries, the participants attended a flag raising ceremony. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha announced the opening of the 13th ASEAN Schools Games in Da Nang and lit the torch, a symbol of enthusiasm of Southeast Asian youth, and the spirit of solidarity and friendship among ASEAN countries.
He wished the athletes the best results with noble sportsmanship, honesty, solidarity, and friendship.
With the message "Connect and shine together", the 13th ASEAN Schools Games takes place from May 29 to June 9, with 6 sports: swimming, basketball, badminton, track and field, Pencak Silat, and Vovinam.
The Vietnamese delegation has 190 athletes participating in all sports.
The mascot of the Games is the red-shanked douc langur, an endemic primate living in Son Tra peninsula, Da Nang and some places in Vietnam. This is a rare animal species, classified as endangered by the world nature conservation organization and Vietnam. The mascot conveys the message of environmental protection to the students and the community as a whole.