The Olympic Village hosted the flag raising ceremony for another several dozens of nations whose delegations have already arrived in the Turkmen capital to take part in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. The ceremony began after the welcoming address by the senior executives of the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan. The Bhutan team was honored to be the first nation to raise its flag. Then the flag of Oman soared up above the Olympic complex. The flag of the national team of the island nation of Palau was raised third. Then the flag of the Philippines, represented by one of the largest delegations at the Ashgabat – 2017 Games, was hoisted. The flag of the national team of Qatar was fifth. In a while, flags were raised for five more countries, with participation of the national teams of Afghanistan, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Japan and the Maldives. In the evening, three simultaneous ceremonies of raising the national flags of participating countries took place at the flagpole area. The head of the Executive Committee on Preparation of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games delivered a congratulatory speech before the delegations of the said nations. During the first ceremony, flags of Brunei-Darussalam, Iraq, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were hoisted. In the second ceremony, flags were raised for Bahrain, Bangladesh, Kiribati, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. The ceremonies concluded with the flags of Australia, Fiji, Iran, the State of Palestine and Tuvalu running up the flagpoles in the Olympic Complex. Each flag was raised solemnly by soldiers of the Guard of Honor to the sounds of the national anthem of every country. Captains of the national teams received commemorative gifts in honor of this remarkable event. Team members attending the ceremonies were welcomed by artists who performed several bright festive acts. This way, taking into account the ceremonies that took place on 13 and 14 September, 30 flags of delegations and national teams of the countries participating in the Games have been run up the flagpoles in the Olympic Village. Also today, the Olympic Stadium hosted the grand rehearsal of the gala opening of the Games that will take place on 17 September. Not much time is left to this long-awaited moment, when the flame of the Asian Games will be lit up at the Olympic Village’s main arena, and the forum of sport, friendship and peace will have officially started.