A common playground for a cohesive Southeast Asia
In the atmosphere of celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Public Security Day (August 19, 1945 - August 19, 2025) and the 20th anniversary of the National Security Day, the 2025 ASEAN Public Security Football Tournament held in Hanoi brought a vibrant and emotional "harmony". Not simply a regional sports tournament, this is truly a space to connect, share and spread the values of peace , cooperation and sustainable development among ASEAN countries.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, in coordination with the Vietnam Police Sports Association, T&T Group, SHB Bank and other functional units, bringing together 8 football teams from countries in the Southeast Asian region and international guests: Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, East Timor, Australia. Representing the host country, the Vietnam Police established two teams with players from the U21 Hanoi Police and PVF.
A notable highlight of the tournament was the solemn and vibrant opening ceremony, with the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security, along with many high-ranking leaders of the Party, State and international delegations. The spirit of friendship and noble sportsmanship was present not only in the ceremonies but also exploded in every step and every ball on the field.
Right from the first matches, the tournament witnessed dramatic and surprising matches. The Vietnam Police Team I unexpectedly lost to the Cambodian team - whose team was competing in the national championship of their host country. Winning and losing in sports is always an inevitable part, but more importantly, the spirit of fair-play, mutual respect and professionalism in the organization have created a truly quality playground for all participating teams.
Unlike other professional tournaments, the 2025 ASEAN Police Football Tournament is a symbol of “people’s diplomacy through sports”. When people in police uniforms (a symbol of discipline and order) compete, interact and share their passion for football, it speaks volumes about the aspiration to maintain peace and build an increasingly cohesive ASEAN community.
It seems that the teams came to the tournament not to focus on winning or losing, but to meet friends, to spread the spirit of sportsmanship, and to strengthen the friendship between law enforcement forces in the region, demonstrating the importance of sports in strengthening multilateral cooperation. When they played football together, laughed together, exchanged flags and hugged each other after each match, there was no distance. That is the most effective way to promote sustainable peace.
For Vietnam, this is an opportunity to affirm its role, position and responsibility in promoting regional cooperation, not only in the fields of politics, economics and security but also on the cultural and sports fronts. From organization, reception, logistics to communication, security work... everything was implemented methodically and thoughtfully, demonstrating the spirit of hospitality and professionalism.
In particular, the images of Vietnamese fans cheering for the opposing team, the warm handshakes after each match, and sideline activities such as art exchanges, visiting Hanoi's famous landmarks... have contributed to creating a "multi-layered value" tournament.
Let sport continue to be a regional cultural bridge
In the context of the world and the region facing many challenges, initiatives such as the ASEAN Police Football Tournament are truly meaningful and effective.
In Southeast Asia, where cultural, religious and political diversity always requires a soft, non-political connection mechanism, sports becomes the optimal means. There, people are placed at the center of cooperation; international standards of conduct are spread naturally and sustainably.
The valuable thing is that within the framework of the tournament, the cultural exchanges between countries were warmly welcomed. The images of officials and athletes of 8 football teams joining together to dance Lam Vong to the typical sound of the Laotian flute, or the entire East Timor team singing traditional songs together on stage took the tournament beyond the framework of a normal sports tournament. The handshakes and bilateral exchanges created connections and strengthened friendship between police and police delegations in the region.
Looking to the future, experts expect the tournament to be held annually, further expanding its scale and participants. Not only limited to the police force, it is possible to invite more football teams from law enforcement agencies, international organizations or the foreign community in Vietnam. Thereby, football will continue to be a cultural bridge, a “soft asset” to strengthen the image of Vietnam as friendly, safe and responsible.
The 2025 ASEAN Police Football Championship is not just a sport, but a place where the desire for peace, belief in regional cooperation and human values beyond the limits of football converge. In an era where disagreements and conflicts can explode from the smallest things, every beautiful play and every smile of exchange becomes more meaningful than ever.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/bong-da-va-tinh-huu-nghi-khong-bien-gioi-151885.html
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