VietNamNet Bridge - A ceremony was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 9, to hoist the national flags of participating countries, including Vietnam, in the Southeast Asian Games 2011 (SEA Games).

Present at the ceremony were representatives of the Jakarta administration, SEA Games organizing board, and officials, coaches and athletes of the participating countries.  
                        
Lam Quang Thanh, head of the Vietnamese delegation, and representatives of the national football squad, attended the event.

The Vietnamese flag was hoisted at 10.30am at the City Hall Square. An organizing board representative presented the SEA Games logo and mascot to Thanh and wished Vietnamese athletes high results during the event.

Thanh said Vietnamese athletes will try their best to contribute to the success of the biggest regional sporting event.

A similar ceremony will take place in Palembang today, November 10, at 1pm.

A Vietnam Airlines plane landed in Jakarta on November 9, bringing first 160 Vietnamese athletes, including 41 track-and-field athletes, to compete in the Games.

The SEA Games 2011 will kick off on November 11, and last until November 22.

Some pictures of the Vietnamese national flag hoisting ceremony:

The ceremonial group brought forward the national flag of Vietnam and began performing the rites.





A military band played the Vietnamese anthem.





The Vietnamese national flag was hoisted.











Chief of the Vietnamese sports delegation, Lam Quang Thanh, received souvenirs
from the organizing board.






The flags of other participating countries.

VNE/VietNamNet