47th ASEAN Summit: Many documents on culture, sports, tourism and information were adopted

After three days of exciting work in Kuala Lumpur, the 47th ASEAN Summit and related Summits concluded successfully, closing Malaysia's year as ASEAN Chair 2025 with many important milestones. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong joined the official delegation accompanying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the event.

The 47th ASEAN Summit marked many historic milestones, including the flag-raising ceremony, officially welcoming Timor Leste as the 11th full member of the ASEAN family. This event opened a new chapter for the Southeast Asian region, realizing a united, inclusive and united ASEAN community. In addition, the Summit also witnessed many other meaningful activities, including the signing ceremony of a special peace treaty between Thailand, Cambodia and the United States, and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations (with Vietnam as coordinator of the relationship).

Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim

The conference also adopted and acknowledged a large number of documents in many fields. In particular, all four fields of culture, sports, tourism and information had important documents approved and acknowledged by ASEAN senior leaders, creating a political framework and strategic orientation for specialized cooperation.

In the cultural field, the Leaders adopted the Melaka Declaration on Value Creation of Cultural Heritage. This document affirms ASEAN’s commitment to maximizing the socio-economic potential of cultural heritage, encouraging new economic models that link heritage conservation with the development of creative industries and sustainable tourism.

Timor Leste becomes 11th full member of ASEAN family

In the field of sports, the Summit witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ASEAN and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). This document sets out a framework for cooperation over the next five years, aiming to leverage the power of football to promote socio-economic development, especially in areas such as school football, sports integrity and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

In the tourism sector, two important Declarations were adopted. First, the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Quality Tourism, which provides a common definition of “quality tourism” as sustainable, inclusive and responsible management, and promotes investment in tourism infrastructure at secondary and tertiary destinations to ensure equitable development. Second, the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders’ Declaration on Sustainable Tourism, an initiative of India on the occasion of the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism 2025, highlights the commitment to cooperation based on three pillars: environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong attended the event (photo: VNA)

In the field of information, two Declarations were adopted to address the challenges of the digital age. The Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration reaffirms the commitment of the Information Ministers to strategic progress, adapting to the rapidly evolving media landscape. It also guides efforts to support digital transformation and address common concerns such as misinformation. Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Safe and Responsible Use of Social Media Platforms directly addresses the challenges of misuse of social media such as fake news and hate speech, towards a safe and trusted online environment, especially protecting vulnerable groups and enhancing digital literacy.

Malaysia has officially handed over the ASEAN Chairmanship hammer to the Philippines, which will take over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.

In addition to the adopted documents, the Senior Leaders also noted three important strategic documents, which serve as a guideline for the development of the regional tourism industry in the next five years. These are the ASEAN Tourism Sector Plan 2026-2030 (ATSP), which guides the development of sustainable, inclusive, digital and resilient ASEAN tourism. Along with that is the ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy 2026-2030 (ATMS), a common promotional framework to position Southeast Asia as a unified, world-class destination, focusing on data-driven marketing and sustainable product development. The Leaders also noted the ASEAN Tourism Outlook 2025, a comprehensive report that provides analysis on trends and directions for tourism development in the post-pandemic period, emphasizing the role of digital transformation, new tourist behaviors and the need for meaningful experiences.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong and lecturers and students of the Vietnam Dance Academy were honored to perform at the Art Program to welcome the Summit.

The adoption and recognition of a series of these important documents has demonstrated ASEAN's strong political determination in promoting specialized cooperation, contributing to affirming the active and proactive role of Vietnam in general and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in international integration and building a cohesive, self-reliant and sustainably developing ASEAN Community.

At the closing session, Malaysia officially handed over the ASEAN Chairmanship hammer to the Philippines, which will assume the role of ASEAN Chair in 2026.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/hoi-nghi-cap-cao-asean-47-nhieu-van-kien-ve-van-hoa-the-thao-du-lich-va-thong-tin-duoc-thong-qua-20251029153101853.htm