On the afternoon of September 2, the opening ceremony of the 5th Lancang-Mekong College Students’ Goodwill Games and the 7th South and Southeast Asia College Students Culture and Sports Week - Kunming was held in the Hengyuan Comprehensive Gymnasium of KUST.
Zhao Derong (Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education), Tang Jiahua (Chair of the University Council of KUST), Wang Hua (President of KUST), Muhamad Akmal bin Abdul Wahab (Consul General of the Consulate General of Malaysia in Kunming), MD Khaled (Consul General of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kunming), U Thwin Hete Lin (Consul General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Kunming), Tran Dinh Nguyen (Consul of the Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Kunming), Phongphouthone Phothong (Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Kunming), Siv Lim Ann (Consul of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Kunming), Sirisa Prachumyaat (Consul of the Consulate General of Thailand in Kunming), Thamarak La-ongnual (President of Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University), Khoune Sackbouavong (President of Savannakhet University of Lao PDR), Hout Konyou (President of Angkor University of Cambodia), Phung Xuan Dung (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hanoi University of Physical Education and Sports of Vietnam), Ngo Van Gioi (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thai Nguyen University of Science of Vietnam)，Dang Thi Thanh Huong (Vice President of Thai Nguyen University - School of Foreign Languages of Vietnam), Vongpasith Chanthakhoun (Vice President of Souphanouvong University of Lao PDR), Li Zhengning (Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau), heads of relevant departments of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education and Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau, and representatives from University Putra Malaysia, Karakoram International University, Rajshahi Chess Academy, Wuhan University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Sichuan University, Beijing Jiaotong University, Wuhan University of Technology, Yunnan University, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan Agricultural University, Yunnan Minzu University, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, College of Arts and Science·Kunming, Yunnan Vocational College of Sports attended the opening ceremony. Yi Jianhong, Vice President of KUST hosted the opening ceremony.
Tang Jiahua declare the opening of the 5th Lancang-Mekong College Students’ Goodwill Games and the 7th South and Southeast Asia College Students Culture and Sports Week - Kunming.
Zhao Derong extended great congratulations on the holding of the Culture and Sports Week and a warm welcome to the guests, teachers, and students who came from afar on behalf of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education. He pointed out that the Chinese government attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries, especially under the guidance of the “Belt and Road” initiative, economic cooperation, humanistic exchanges, and educational cooperation have been continuously strengthened. He hoped further driving strengthen exchanges between the university students from South and Southeast Asian countries in sports competition and cultural integration through this event, so that young students could become messengers for spreading friendship and promoting peace.
Wang Hua expressed his hope that exchanges and interactions among youth of different countries would be strengthened through the event in his speech, and the unique creativity and passion of youth would be used to showcase the charms of their respective cultures, enhance mutual understanding, and inject new vitality and blood into the friendly exchanges between countries.
Phung Xuan Dung expressed his gratitude to Yunnan Provincial Department of Education and KUST on behalf of universities from various countries. He said that the Culture and Sports Week provides a good opportunity for exchanges, interaction, and cooperation among universities in South and Southeast Asian countries, fully demonstrates the friendship of Chinese universities to South and Southeast Asian universities. He looked forward to deepening understanding with the universities as well as carrying out wider cooperation in the field of academics and specialties in the future.
Muhammad Akmal bin Hambali, a student from University Putra Malaysia, spoke on behalf of the athletes. He said that he felt the vigorous vitality by participating in this event and was very honored to get together with talented young university students, not only to show their skills on the competition field together, but also to have opportunities to communicate with each other, learn about different cultures, and build friendships beyond national boundaries.
The representatives of athletes and referees took the oath respectively.
It is reported that, as one of the series activities of the 7th South and Southeast Asia Education Cooperation Kunming Forum in Yunnan Province, and also a high-quality event of the “Kindness to the People - Education Tour” South and Southeast Asia Education cooperation in 2024, the Culture and Sports Week will last for 10 days from August 31 to September 9. A total of more than 770 teachers and students from 28 universities in 12 countries including China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines have signed up to participate. The competition includes 55 minor sports in 4 major sports: football, volleyball, badminton and wushu. Cultural exchange and study tours will also be organized during the period, international students from African and Oceanian countries have also enthusiastically sighed up to participate in the activities.
Translated by: LI Wenting, Division of International Cooperation
Source: School of International Education
Issued by: Division of International Cooperation (English)
