AsemconnectVietnam - Communications for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) have been bolstered as the region's biggest sports event is approaching.

 The official song for the Games ‘Hay toa sang’ (Let’s shine), composed by renown composer Huy Tuan, has been unveiled, showing the pride on the culture and people of Vietnam, and highlighting sportsmanship as well as efforts to achieve the best results, with lyrics in Vietnamese language and chorus in English.

The song also sends a message of development, solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and international friends.
Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Le Thi Hoang Yen said the song's lyric is simple and easy to learn. It is hoped to encourage athletes and be favoured by sports fans at home and abroad.

SEA Games 31 to uphold spirit of “For a stronger South East Asia” hinh anh 2
The opening ceremony of SEA Games 31 is slated for May 12 (Photo: VNA)
The event’s slogan “For a stronger Southeast Asia” is to convey a message of solidarity to build a thriving ASEAN Community and further promote its role in the international arena.

Earlier, the regional sport events’ official logo and mascot have been introduced, with the logo symbolising a flying bird and a V-shaped hand and the mascot based on the saola – a rare animal listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of Endangered Species.

The saola, scientifically known as Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, is dubbed the Asian Unicorn because it is so rarely seen, looks like an antelope in appearance, and is recognised by its two parallel horns with sharp ends which can reach up to 50 cm in length.

The species was first discovered in May 1992 by a joint team from the MARD and the World Wide Fund for Nature during a trip surveying Vu Quang National Park in the central province of Ha Tinh, near Vietnam’s border with Laos.

The SEA Games 31 will run in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities from May 12 to 23. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and expects to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the pandemic’s impact./.

Source: VNA