NAY PYI TAW December 20
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered an address at the closing ceremony of the Fifth National Sports Festival 2024 at Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw this evening.
Also present at the ceremony were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Council Secretary General Aung Lin Dwe and his wife, Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo and his wife, council members and their wives, union ministers, union-level dignitaries and their wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief,the commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command, deputy ministers, members of Olympic Committee, presidents, vice presidents and members of Myanmar sports federations, guests, administrators, coaches and athletes from sports contingents of ministries, regions and states, Tatmadaw members, ministerial staff, artistes from literary, music, motion pictures and theatrical arenas, students and sports fan people.
Before the ceremony, famous vocalists performed song entertainment.
The Senior General, his wife and guests watched the final match between Ministry of Planning and Finance and Ministry of Construction in the football tournament of the 2024 National Sports Festival.
In the match, the Ministry of Construction clinched the title with a 1-0 win over the opponent in the 87th minute.
After the football match, the closing ceremony of the festival followed. The Senior General, his wife and party enjoyed the song entertainment “Revitalization of Atar Thingyan as traditional heritage” to mark the recognizing the Myanmar’s traditional Atar Thingyan festival as the World’s intangible cultural heritage list.
Next, a video clip titled “enhancing the sports to safeguard the State” highlighting the 2024 Fifth National Sports Festival was screened.
Athletes from the sports teams of ministries, regions and states took positions in the stadium.
At the awarding for the football tournament, SAC members General Nyo Saw, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, General Maung Maung Aye, Admiral Tin Aung San and General Mya Tun Oo presented best player awards for goalkeeper, defender, mid-fielder, forwarder and the player of the tournament to relevant athletes respectively.
Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo presented individual medals and mascots to players from the third-prize winning Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development while Secretary General Aung Lin Dwe gave individual medals and mascots to players from the second-prize winning Ministry of Planning and Finance.
The Vice-Senior General awarded players of the first prizewinning Ministry of Construction with individual medals and mascots.
The Senior General presented championship trophies to Champion Ayeyawady Region team in the Inter-State and Region para sports competition, Champion Yangon Region team in the Inter-State and Region sports competition and Champion Ministry of Defense team in the Inter-Ministry sports competition, respectively.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing stated in his speech that the Fifth National Sports Festival, which began on December 2, has been successfully completed.
The event involved 6 sports categories for Union-level organizations and ministries, 23 sports categories for competitions in Nay Pyi Taw, states, and regions, and 4 sports categories for disabled athletes at the state and regional level. Over 10,000 athletes, officials, coaches, referees and jurors participated in the event. This year’s festival, like previous national sports festivals, saw widespread participation.
In this sports festival, the meetings between ethnic brothers and sisters from the Union ministries, Nay Pyi Taw Council, and states/regions were not just ordinary gatherings; they were based on a spirit of sportsmanship, fairness, and mutual respect.
Thus, this festival not only showcased national unity but also exhibited the strength, unity, and peaceful stability of the nation.
It was a demonstration of the collective resilience and vitality of the Myanmar people.
In this national sports festival, the speech addressed the citizens of Myanmar, emphasizing that all citizens, living together within Myanmar, are performing their duties for the benefit of the country and the people according to their respective fields.
The festival highlighted the deep love and loyalty citizens have for their country.
Winning medals and raising the national flag on the global stage brings more honor than any personal recognition, as it elevates both the sport and the nation’s honor, strengthening the spirit of Myanmar and defending the nation. The festival contributes to developing patriotism and pride among the citizens, inspiring them to serve their country.
At this time, Myanmar faces both domestic and international threats and challenges. Many small but strategically important countries around the world are facing similar situations, and it is important for the people, government, and military to unite and protect the country.
The speech emphasized recognizing and honoring the military personnel, Myanmar Police Force members, and civil servants who have been serving their duties for their country and people amid such difficulties.
The successful organization and gathering of this National Sports Festival, which will enhance national unity, resilience, and the strength of the spirit, was made possible because of the presence of heroes who are safeguarding and protecting our country.
Therefore, we would like to specially acknowledge and honor all the military personnel members of the Myanmar Police Force, civil servants, and other good-hearted citizens who have given their lives in defense of our country, our people, and our citizens.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the individuals from various sectors who supervised and organized this grand event, as well as those who contributed to the opening and closing ceremonies, ensuring they were conducted at the national level with dignity and decorum.
Our thanks extend to the Union ministries, the Nay Pyi Taw Council, the state and regional government teams, staff, artists, students, and the sports organizations that played a key role in the competitions.
We also express special appreciation to the officials, referees, jurors, administrators, coaches, and athletes who participated and competed.
The organization of this Fifth National Sports Festival was intended as preparation for the upcoming successful participation in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which will be hosted by Thailand in 2025, and the 13th ASEAN Para Games to be held in Thailand in 2026.
Therefore athletes selected from this event will be regrouped and trained to achieve the set goals, and continuous efforts will be made to ensure their success in these future competitions.
May all athletes who participated in the sports festival be able to leapfrog from the sports sector to a developed society through their perfect practice, high standards, intelligence, unity, perseverance, observance of disciplines, moral compass, mutual understanding, warm friendship and transparent exchanges of views.
May you be able to contribute to the development of five strengths and nurturing new generations of athletes.
In conclusion, the Senior General urged them to try to be athletes who can improve the image of the country through sports and announced the successful conclusion of the sports festival.
After the conclusion of the sport festival, fireworks commemorating the successful conclusion of the sport festival were set off.
Moreover, the main sport festival torch of the fifth national sports festival on the top of the southeastern corner of Wunna Theikdi Sports Stadium , which was lit up and born by athletes, who lived up to the image of the country, at the opening ceremony on 9 December was put out at the same time.
Then, the flag of the sports festival was lowered from atop the staff and born to leave the sports ground before athletes and the state military band left the sports ground.
Similarly, other festivities took place including martial art demonstrations of the Myanmar Thaing Federation, traditional dances of ethnic groups in states and regions, aerobic performance of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and singing the sports festival closing song “Let’s Go to the Golden Land Together,” and the ceremony concluded successfully.
Then, former athletes and athletes who were able to improve the reputation of the country through sports and paralympic sports were introduced to the spectators one by one and fireworks commemorating the successful conclusion of the sports festival were set off.
The first national sports festival featuring 22 types of sports was held in Yangon from 3 to 16 May, 1992.
The second national sports festival featuring 24 types of sports was held in
Yangon from 25 January to 6 February 1994.
The third national sport festival featuring 29 types of sports was held in Yangon from 11 to 24 January, 1997. The fourth national sports festival featuring 27 types of sports was held in Nay Pyi Taw from 13 to 28 February, 2015.
The fifth national sports festival was held on a grand scale starting from the beginning of December with the aims of enhancing the sports standards of the country, achieving success in the 33rd Sea Games and other international sports competitions, nurturing potential new generation athletes and highly competent athletes who can live up to the reputations of the country, increasing the sports activities by building friendship among states and regions and ministries and encouraging the people to participate in sports activities by inspiring interest in sports among them.
The fifth national sports festival featuring 33 types of sports including six sports categories at the ministry level, 23 sports categories in the state and region level and four sports categories in the paralympic level started in early December and concluded successfully today.
