(VOVworld) – The 7^th National Sports Festival 2014 opened Saturday at Thien Truong Stadium in the northern province of Nam Dinh. Former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, and other Party and State leaders attended the event.

Athlete Duong Van Thai of Nam Dinh province carries the torch at the opening ceremony. Photo: VNA

The festival was kicked off with a performance featuring Nam Dinh province’s unique cultural identities. It was followed by a parade with the participation of nearly 20,000 staff and athletes of 65 participating sports delegations. The highlight of the opening ceremony was a torch relay from the sacred Tran Temple. Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh spoke at the event:“Following the success of the 6 previous national sports festivals, this year’s event aims to further improve the public awareness of the importance of gymnastics and sports development in national construction and defense as President Ho Chi Minh once said: Strong people make a prosperous nation. We hope to create a strong impetus for sports development until 2020.”
The opening ceremony closed with a 15 minute fireworks display. This year’s event draws the participation of 7,500 athletes nationwide who will compete in 36 sports.