Senior General Min Aung Hlaing expressed his deep acknowledgement and honour over the patriotism and love for the country of every citizen.
State Administration Council Chairman 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 yesterday evening.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General underscored that in international sports competitions, there is nothing prouder and more joyous than being honoured on the global stage with nation’s flag raised and the national anthem played upon achieving victory as a reflection of elevating both sports and national pride.
This grand national sports festival, which is significant for the entire nation and aims to enhance national unity and morale, has been successfully organized and held in this way thanks to Tatmadaw members, Myanmar Police Force members, and State service personnel who are protecting and safeguarding the country.
It is a grand festival showcasing national movement and strength, a celebration that demonstrates unity and peace, and a remarkable occasion reflecting the resilience, strength, and pride of the entire nation more than just a sporting event.
All citizens residing collectively within the Union of Myanmar are individuals who discharge their respective duties according to serving interests of the nation and the people, and their patriotism are deeply recognized.
It is necessary for the people, the government, and Tatmadaw to unite with collective strength and solidarity to defend against internal and external threats and instances of interference.
It is necessary to defend against attacks from all sides with the combined strength and unity of the people, the government, and Tatmadaw.
Therefore, the Senior General solemnly and respectfully honours all Tatmadaw members, MPF members, People’s Military Servant members, civil servants, and other patriotic citizens who sacrificed their lives in defending the nation and the people. He also acknowledged officials at different sectors to hold opening and closing ceremonies of the festival on a grand scale, ministries, Nay Pyi Taw Council, regional and state governments, service personnel, artistes, students, officials from sports federations, referees, juries, administrators, coaches and athletes for their participation in the festival.
Qualified players from the festival must be organized to take training as part of preparations to achieve success in the XXXIII SEA Games and XIII ASEAN Para Games to be hosted by Thailand in 2025 and 2026.
Before the ceremony, famous vocalists performed song entertainment.
The Senior General, his wife and guests watched the final match between the Ministry of Planning and Finance and the 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 87 minutes.
After the football match, the closing ceremony of the festival followed. The Senior General, his wife and party enjoyed the song entertainment “Revitalization of Ata Thingyan as Traditional Heritage” to mark the recognizing the Traditional Myanmar Ata Thingyan Festival on 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.
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 Senior General presented championship trophies to Champion Ayeyawady Region team in the Inter-State and Region parasports competition, Champion Yangon Region team in the Inter-State and Region sports competition and Champion Ministry of Defence team in the Inter-Ministry sports competition, respectively.
When the festival was closed, fireworks were displayed to mark the successful completion of the festival.
Players from the Myanmar Martial Arts Sports Federation demonstrated their skills and ethnic people from regions and states presented traditional dances. Those from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs performed aerobic dances. The ceremony successfully concluded with the song titled “Towards the Golden State Together”.
The veteran athletes who uplifted prestige of the State through sports and the athletes with disabilities bringing honour to the State were individually introduced, and fireworks were launched to mark the successfully completion of the ceremony.
The flame to mark the festival, southeast corner of Wunna Theikdi Stadium, ignited by selected Myanmar athletes at the opening ceremony of the festival on 9 December was put out.
Also present at the ceremony were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, State Administration Council Vice-Chairman 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 Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, deputy ministers and invitees.
The First National Sports Festival took place in Yangon with 22 sports events from 3 to 16 May 1992, the second in Yangon with 24 sports events from 25 January to 6 February 1994, the third in Yangon with 29 sports events from 11 to 24 January 1997 and the fourth in Nay Pyi Taw with 27 sports from 13 to 28 February 2015. The fifth festival was held in Nay Pyi Taw with six sports events for union-level organizations and ministries, 23 sports events for Nay Pyi Taw Council, regions and states and four sports for the athletes with disabilities. So, more than 10,000 athletes, administrators, coaches, referees and juries participated in the fifth festival starting from 2 December till 20 December.
The Fifth National Sports Festival 2024 was held on a grand scale to aim at enhancing the nation’s sports standards, achieving success in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games and other international competitions, and turning out outstanding athletes and new-generation athletes who can bring national honour, fostering greater collaboration and unity between regions, states, and ministries in order to further promote sports activities and stipulating public interest in sports to join in sports activities.
MNA/TTA
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