The presence of volunteers in the 13^th ASEAN Schools Games (ASG) not only contributes to the success of the regional sporting event but also helps enhance cultural exchange and further tighten friendship with countries in the region.

Volunteers transport portions of lunch from the car to the area of ​​the sports team they are supporting

1. Many pupils and students often start their summer vacations with relaxed days off and family trips. However, this year’s summer vacation of 16-year-old Tran Minh Hang from Ha Noi was a bit more special unlike previous years.

Right after the end of the school year, Hang travelled to Da Nang to act as a volunteer at the 13^th ASEAN Schools Games.

Although this was Hang's third time to come to Da Nang, her emotions at that time were somewhat strange. She was worried, excited, and full of anticipation because this is the first time Hang has participated in such a large-scale regional event.

During the 10 days of the event, Hang engaged in supporting athletes and coaches of the Singaporean basketball team, including guiding the team to move to locations, preparing water for players, and translating information from the organising committee to the sports delegation. Her working day started at 6:00 am and ended at 6:00 pm.

Hang confided that her special love for sports in general and basketball in particular inspired her to become an ASG volunteer. When keeping an eye on every move of Singaporean basketball players, Hang still did not forget to look around to promptly support the coaching staff. Looking at her hard-working and serious attitude, few people know that this is one of the youngest volunteers at ASG.

Volunteers take souvenir photos with Mr. Krishnan Aravinthan, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Southeast Asian School Sports Council (4th, left). Tran Minh Hang (volunteer, second from left).

“Initially, I joined ASG with the hope of watching live basketball competitions, but then I got more than that. I know more tourist destinations in Da Nang. I made friends with volunteers and athletes from other countries. I have a good environment to practice my English listening and speaking skills, improve my improvisation and communication skills, enhance teamwork spirit and promptly handle arising situations" Hang shared.

And after all, Hang realized that she had changed more positively. Hang expressed that "I feel like I have become more mature and more responsible for the work I am doing. This will be a valuable and memorable experience for me on my journey to adulthood. I hope that in the coming time, I will have more opportunities to participate in such international events to cultivate and train myself to be more active".

Volunteer Le Thi Thanh Tam and Filipino athletes explore Han Market.

2. Right after the Da Nang Youth Union announced the recruitment of volunteers for ASG, Le Thi Thanh Tam, the first year student majoring in English, the University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Da Nang, immediately registered to participate in.

Born and raised in the midland and mountainous district of Huong Son, Ha Tinh Province, for Tam, this is a great opportunity for her to meet and interact with foreign friends.

Tam is tasked with assisting check-in and check-out procedures at accommodation facilities, conveying information from the organizing committee to the sports delegations, taking athletes to competition events and visit local tourist destinations (if needed), and doing other unnamed jobs.

Tam said doing as a volunteer at the ASG was an opportunity for her to interact with reality.

“In the process of working with sports delegations, I have to communicate in English. Regular and continuous use helps me gain more vocabulary, increase sensitivity, and know mispronunciations, thereby improving my English proficiency," Tam said.

Before participating in this event, for Tam, the Philippines was still a strange country. But after spending time with Filipino friends, Tam hopes to set foot in the country one day in the near future.

Volunteer Le Thi Thanh Tam and members of the Filipino sports delegation cheering for the basketball competition.

“Through the stories of Filipino athletes, I want to explore the culture, landscape and life of the people here. Filipino friends are very funny, friendly and kind. Not only the Philippines, friends from Malaysia and Brunei are also very wonderful. The past few days have been the most beautiful time of my youth” Tam shared.

Not only listening to stories of other foreign countries, Tam also shared about entertainment places, and took foreign athletes to the Han Market to go shopping, and explore Vietnamese cuisine in general, Da Nang in particular.

Sharing feeling about becoming a volunteer for the ASG, Tam could not hide her joy and said that she felt very honored and proud to be selected as a volunteer at the large-scale sporting event.

"Looking at my friends always working hard to practice, I feel like I have been given more strength, motivation, and will to try to pursue my goals," Tam expressed.

In the coming time, Tam and many other young people want to serve international-scale events to constantly learn and improve knowledge, skills and experience to create a premise for international exchange and integration.

The ASG 2024 in Da Nang ended successfully. In that success, the contributions of volunteers cannot be ignored. Minh Hang and Thanh Tam are just 2 out of the 300 volunteers who are outstanding youth union members, young people and students, and able to communicate fluently in foreign languages, especially English.

Mr. Krishnan Aravinthan, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Southeast Asian School Sports Council highly lauded the host Da Nang-Viet Nam for the successful organization of the Games, and the contributions of volunteers throughout the event.

“The volunteers support us very well. The people of Da Nang are also wonderful, extremely friendly and hospitable. They leave beautiful impressions on uss from the preparation stage to the reception and operation of the Games", Mr. Krishnan Aravinthan expressed.

Reporting by THU DUYEN - Translating by M.DUNG, V.DUNG