(BNP) - Joining in the vibrant emulation atmosphere to achieve accomplishments welcoming the 136th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2026), on the morning of May 20, at the Provincial Sports Arena, the Bac Giang Ward People's Committee solemnly organized the Opening Ceremony of the 1st Physical Education and Sports Festival, 2026. This was a large-scale cultural and sports event aiming to encourage the movement of body training following the example of the great Uncle Ho and to improve community health.
Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Mai Son (second from the right) along with provincial leaders present commemorative banners to the delegations participating in the Festival.
Attending the Opening Ceremony were Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and Head of the Organizing Committee of the Provincial Physical Education and Sports Festival Mai Son; representative leaders of provincial departments and sectors, Bac Giang ward, along with a large number of delegates, athletes, and local residents.
The torch relay delegation enters the grandstand, followed by the procession block carrying the portrait of President Ho Chi Minh at the Opening Ceremony of the Festival.
Opening the ceremony was a very solemn traditional torch relay ritual. The sacred fire was carried by outstanding athletes from the Provincial Monument to Heroic Martyrs to the Arena, symbolizing the fierce will and desire to reach new heights of the people of Bac Giang ward. Following that was a show-of-force parade of 25 blocks with more than 1,400 participants, representing the armed forces, socio-political organizations, residential clusters, and schools in the area.
Speaking at the opening of the Festival, Chairman of the Bac Giang Ward People's Committee Tran Van Thanh emphasized that imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings on physical training, the Ward's Party Committee and authorities always paid attention to developing the mass sports movement with many sports attracting a large number of participants such as soft volleyball, football, badminton, pickleball, sports folk dance, fitness movements, etc. Thereby contributing to improving physical strength, spiritual life, and consolidating the great national unity bloc.
He affirmed that the 1st Bac Giang Ward Physical Education and Sports Festival was not only an opportunity to evaluate the results of the sports movement at the grassroots level but also a festival to display the strength, spirit of solidarity, and aspiration for development of the locality; at the same time, it selected excellent athletes to participate in the upcoming provincial-level Physical Education and Sports Festival.
At the ceremony, representatives of athletes and referees on behalf of the participating forces took the oath, promising to compete and referee the matches with the spirit of "Solidarity - Honesty - Nobility".
The provincial and ward leaders presented flowers and commemorative banners to the participating delegations, encouraging the athletes to make efforts to achieve the highest results.
The art performance of mass choreography with the "Bac Giang Ward Innovating, Integrating, and Developing in the New Era" theme is elaborately staged at the opening ceremony.
The impressive highlight of the Opening Ceremony was the mass choreography art program with the "Bac Giang Ward Innovating, Integrating, and Developing in the New Era" theme. With the participation of over 700 amateur performers, the performance consisted of 3 chapters: Vividly recreating the historical print of the ancient Phu Lang Thuong land; the spirit of sports training to improve human resources; and the aspiration for comprehensive development of Bac Giang ward in the new period.
The 1st Bac Giang Ward Physical Education and Sports Festival in 2026 gathered more than 200 athletes competing in 10 sports (including cross-country running, chess - Chinese chess; table tennis; badminton, shuttlecock kicking; soft volleyball, men's football, pickleball, tug of war, swimming).
Athletes compete excitingly in the men's table tennis content.
Right after the opening ceremony, the sports events of the Ward Sports Festival took place, attracting a large number of spectators to cheer. The events were expected to create a strong driving force for the "All people train their bodies following the example of the great Uncle Ho" movement in the ward to develop deeper and wider./.
