His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa deputized His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, to attend the official opening of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain from 22 to 31 October, with the participation of 45 Asian countries, which is the largest youth sporting event in the continent.

The opening ceremony held at Exhibition World Bahrain, was attended by His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Chairman of the General Sports Authority and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, Timothy Fok Tsun Ting, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, and a number of Their Highnesses, Excellencies, dignitaries, officials of the Olympic Council of Asia, sports leaders in Asia, representatives of Asian National Olympic Committees, guests and members of the diplomatic corps.

On the occasion, His Highness affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain's hosting of the 3rd Asian Youth Games is the result of the royal vision and care of His Majesty the King, who believes that young people are the cornerstone of national development, in addition to His Majesty's support, which transforms ambition into achievement and vision into reality.

His Highness expressed appreciation for the outstanding support that Bahraini sports receive from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and His Royal Highness's continuous directive to make the Kingdom of Bahrain a destination for hosting various major championships.

His Highness also praised the efforts of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad and his ambitious vision, which added a new spirit to the event, as His Highness embodied determination and teamwork and ensured that the tournament was a model of professional organisation and outstanding management.

His Highness added, "Today, we are not merely celebrating a sporting event but rather heralding a new era for the youth of Asia; an era in which ambitions converge. We are proud that these ambitions are under the banner of the Kingdom of Bahrain. We wish success to all participants in the tournament and affirm that the Kingdom of Bahrain will achieve great success in terms of organisation."

His Highness praised the varied segments performed at the opening ceremony.

His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, in which he expressed pride in the patronage of His Majesty the King, and expressed gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty the King for his unlimited support for sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain. His Highness also extended thanks and gratitude to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his support, expressing thanks and appreciation to His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad for supporting the Kingdom’s youth.

His Highness said: ‘This event, which brings together more than 6,000 athletes from 45 countries, embodies Asian solidarity and confirms that sport is a bridge for rapprochement between peoples and a source of pride and honour for the younger generation in our Asian continent.’

His Highness added, ‘The Asian Youth Games are not just a sporting event, but a real platform for discovering and creating future Olympic champions who will represent the Asian continent. These young people are the seeds of hope and the leaders of tomorrow, carrying the dreams of their peoples and the aspirations of their continent towards a brighter sporting future.’

His Highness welcomed all attendees and participants, wishing them success and expressing his confidence that this edition will be a milestone in the history of Asian sports and reflect Bahrain's ability to rise to the challenge and organise a major continental event in record time thanks to the efforts of all parties involved.

His Highness reiterated thanks and appreciation to the Olympic Council of Asia for its confidence in granting the Kingdom of Bahrain the honour of hosting this tournament, and to all those who organized this major youth sporting event.

The Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia also delivered a speech, in which he praised the efforts made by the organising committee of the Games and the extensive preparations that accompanied the event, culminating in an impressive opening ceremony. He affirmed that the Council's confidence in the Kingdom of Bahrain to host this event was well-founded, especially given the Bahraini team's well-known expertise in the flawless organisation of major championships.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the deputy patron of the ceremony, then playing the royal anthem and raising the Kingdom of Bahrain’s flag. This was followed by an artistic performance combining Bahraini authenticity and Asian heritage which blended modern technology with the cultural identity of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in addition to a Bahraini Ardah performance and the Royal Military Band of the Bahrain Defence Force. The delegations of the participating countries then entered the venue, and the Bahraini delegation was greeted with a warm welcome from the crowd. Bahrain’s mixed martial arts team member and wrestling player Abdullah Jamal Ahmed and Bahrain’s triathlon player Lulwa Tariq Al-Dosari raised the Kingdom's flag. The Bahraini delegation wore traditional dress to showcase the Kingdom's culture, identity and rich history. The oath of the Games was taken by athletes Jannat Sharaf and Saman Al-Juhrami, and the oath of the referees was taken by Badr Faraj and Fatima Al-Mutawaj.

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad then announced the official opening of the 3rd Asian Youth Games. The Olympic torch was then carried through several governorates of the Kingdom of Bahrain, before being officially lit by former Olympic athletics champion Ruqaya Al-Ghasra.

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad also visited the exhibition accompanying the opening ceremony, organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the Executive Committee of the Games, which highlights the Kingdom of Bahrain's historic participation in the Olympic and Asian Games and its achievements in all its participations.