BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 25. Kyrgyzstan is
preparing to host the sixth World Nomad Games from August 31 to
September 6, with the opening ceremony scheduled in Bishkek and
competitions set to continue in the Issyk-Kul region.


More than 90 countries are expected to participate, while the
program will include 43 sports along with cultural events,
exhibitions and international forums. Organizers say accreditation
of participants will begin in May, with preparations entering the
final stage.


Launched in 2014 on the basis of the Bishkek Declaration, the
World Nomad Games have grown into a global platform promoting
traditional sports, cultural heritage and intercultural dialogue.
The first three editions were held in Kyrgyzstan, while Türkiye
hosted the Games in 2022 and Kazakhstan in 2024, reflecting the
project’s expanding international reach.


The event is recognized as a tool for strengthening cultural
ties and tourism, bringing together athletes, artists and
researchers from around the world.


The world is preparing to witness the sixth edition of the
Games. The host country, Kyrgyzstan, is actively preparing for this
large-scale event, and the participating countries are also
thoroughly preparing for their performances.


The World Nomad Games is an international event that unites the
national games and cultures of nomadic peoples at the global level.
Its uniqueness lies in the revival of forgotten traditions and the
ability to unite countries around a common goal. This event aims to
preserve the heritage of nomadic civilization and promote it
worldwide. In particular, it provides a unique opportunity to see
the entire nomadic world in one place.


Furthermore, the Games serve an important mission to strengthen
interstate ties and develop global tourism.


The World Nomad Games have received the following high praise
and status:


- Recognized by the UN as an effective tool for intercultural
dialogue;


- Supported by international sports federations and cultural
institutions;


- Included in the global sustainable development agenda;


- Inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage.


The Games' core content includes equestrian races, traditional
wrestling, and intellectual and folk games. In addition, the event
includes international scientific conferences and symposia,
large-scale cultural programs, exhibitions of crafts and national
cuisine, and art and fashion shows.


In 2012, following a summit of the heads of Turkic-speaking
states involving Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkiye,
the Bishkek Declaration was signed. This document laid the
foundation for the World Nomad Games, initiated by Kyrgyzstan.


Based on this initiative, the first World Nomad Games were held
from September 9 to 14, 2014, in Kyrgyzstan. 583 athletes from 19
countries competed in 14 sports.


The first three editions of the Games were held in
Kyrgyzstan.


Following the first World Nomad Games in 2014, the second (2016)
and third (2018) Games were also held in Kyrgyzstan.


In particular, from September 3 to 8, 2016, the city of
Cholpon-Ata hosted the 2nd World Nomad Games, which attracted 1,200
athletes and coaches competing in 23 sports. This time, the number
of participating countries reached 62, tripling the number of
participating countries at the first Games. Of these, 17 presented
their unique cultural programs. Furthermore, the range of sports
disciplines expanded, and the number of media representatives
covering the event exceeded 650.







The program included national games reflecting the daily life,
martial arts, hunting traditions, and intellectual culture of
nomadic peoples, such as: jerit (spear throwing on horseback),
tayaq tartysh (stick tug-of-war), goresh (traditional wrestling of
the Turkic peoples), gulesh (Turkish oil wrestling), aba kureshu
(horseback wrestling), archery (on foot, on horseback, and
long-range), burkut saluu (golden eagle hunting), dalba oynotuu
(the art of controlling a falcon using a lure on a cord), taigan
zharish (dog racing of the Taigan breed), and mangala (a board game
of logic).


Furthermore, these Games strengthened the foundation of the
project's scale and laid the groundwork for its development as a
global international platform.


The III World Nomad Games were held from September 2 to 8, 2018,
in Cholpon-Ata. This time, the number of participating countries
reached 80, and approximately two thousand athletes competed in 37
sports.


The program also included such sports as arm wrestling, mongol
bokh (Mongolian wrestling), vari, pahlavani (Iranian wrestling),
three types of traditional archery, sambo, ssireum (South Korean
wrestling), and sumo.


In the lead-up to the Games, an international Altaic conference
entitled "Folk Games, Rituals, and Traditions" was held, bringing
together scholars from more than 45 countries. These Games played a
decisive role, leading to the decision to further host the event in
other countries. Thus, Türkiye was confirmed as the next host
country.


Hosting the World Nomad Games in other
countries


Thus, the mission to host the World Nomad Games was handed over
to Türkiye. The Games were held from September 29 to October 2,
2022, in the cities of Iznik and Bursa, bringing together
representatives from 102 countries. 3,000 people competed in 40
sports, and approximately 150,000 spectators witnessed this massive
event.


The Games were originally planned for 2020, but due to the
coronavirus pandemic, the event was postponed to 2022. The baton
for hosting the next Games was passed to Kazakhstan.


The 5th World Nomad Games were held from September 8 to 13,
2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. 2,800 athletes from 89 countries
competed in 21 sports. A unique feature of these Games was the
inclusion of women's categories in the competition program, at the
initiative of the participants.


The "Nomad Universe" ethno-village hosted over 100 cultural
programs, as well as an international conference on "Nomads:
History, Knowledge, and Lessons."


Preparations for the 6th World Nomad Games


The 6th World Nomad Games will be held this year from August 31
to September 6. The opening ceremony will take place in Bishkek at
the Bishkek Arena stadium, currently under construction and
designed to accommodate 51,000 spectators, after which the events
will continue in the Issyk-Kul region.


According to Nursultan Adenov, Head of the International
Secretariat of the World Nomad Games, invitations to participate in
the Games have been sent to 100 countries. To date, participation
confirmations have been received from approximately 50 countries.
Overall, representatives from more than 90 countries are expected
to attend. 400 representatives of foreign media are also expected
to arrive.


It's worth noting that this year's Games will feature 43 sports.
The program already includes the Kazakh national game "kokpar" and
the Yakut national wrestling "khapsagay." Agreements with other
federations are expected to be signed.


The host country for the 7th World Nomad Games will be announced
in the next 1-2 months. To date, bids have been received from 3-4
countries to host the next event.


The World Nomad Games are not a bygone era, but living history
that continues today. This is an event worth seeing at least once
in a lifetime.