Opening of the 5th African Vovinam Viet Vo Dao Championship in Abidjan

At 10:00 a.m. on November 5, 2024, the opening ceremony of the African Vovinam Viet Vo Dao Championship took place at the Hassan & Tara complex in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The event was attended by representatives of the Ivorian Minister of Youth and Sports, representatives of the Ivorian Olympic Committee, Mr. Mai Huu Tin – President of the World Vovinam Federation and Mr. Mohamed Djawad – President of the African Vovinam Federation.

Athletes perform at the opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the tournament was marked by the appearance of 150 athletes from ten African countries, including: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Guinea and Ivory Coast.

Children’s Vovinam martial arts skills demonstrations were showcased during the opening ceremony, along with traditional dances reflecting the cultural heritage of the country of Ivory Coast, adding a festive touch to the event.

The President of the Organizing Committee, Mr. Mamouni Traoré, began the opening ceremony with a speech expressing his pride in hosting the championship and expressing the importance of Vovinam in strengthening relations between African countries. He stressed that the Vovinam Championship serves as a platform to promote cultural and sporting exchanges between participants.

Mr. Mai Huu Tin, Mr. Mohamed Djawad and Mr. Mamouni Traoré

Next, Mr. Mohamed Djawad, President of the African Vovinam Confederation, spoke and praised the progress that Vovinam has made on the continent, expressing joy at the participation of many countries in this championship. He highlighted the importance of sport in unifying peoples and promoting peace.

World Vovinam Federation President Mai Huu Tin also spoke, affirming the Federation’s commitment to developing Vovinam globally, while emphasizing the role of the African championship in enhancing the professionalism of this martial art.

At the end of the ceremony, representatives of the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ivory Coast and President of the World Vovinam Federation Mai Huu Tin declared the opening of the 5th African Vovinam Championship 2024, a tournament that reflects the cooperation in sports and culture between African countries. Thereby demonstrating the spirit of struggle, friendship as well as creating opportunities to strengthen solidarity between participating countries.

Source: African Vovinam Federation (AVF-FAV)