Unsung heroes of sports events

THE mission: ASEAN Community in 2015. The approach: to use sports towards achieving this objective.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah upon his return from the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, last month said: "Sports is among other aspects of the member states' aspiration to achieve one ASEAN Community by 2015 ... Sports events help unite and create understanding and better cooperation among the people of ASEAN, especially the young people."

The AMMS also identified volunteerism in sports as key to reaching the regional unification. And it was most accurate. Sports volunteers are the lifeblood that keeps the sports scene alive and healthy. Besides inspiring and encouraging people to take up sports, these unsung heroes also make a difference by volunteering their time to run, organise and fund sporting events.

But more importantly, the experience of being a sports volunteer can be extremely gratifying. Volunteerism helps in character building and it is also an opportunity to learn new lessons, cultures and skills. Taking on the role of a volunteer will challenge you to interpret and analyse a situation or culture from a whole new perspective. This will add a new dimension to your understanding and knowledge of those around you leading to a better appreciation of your neighbours, in this case your ASEAN neighbours.

One of those neighbours Myanmar the host of the 27th SEA Games in 2013 said late last month that it needed some 12,000 young volunteers to serve in communication during the Games, adding that those volunteers must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and must be able to converse in English, Thai and Malay. So, what are you waiting for, young Bruneians? One Vision, One Identity, One Community let's make it a reality.