World Nomad Games kick off in Türkiye

By Elif Kucuk and Kaan Bozdogan

BURSA, Türkiye (AA) - The fourth edition of the World Nomad Games began on Thursday in Türkiye, with more than 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries competing in 13 different sports branches.

The lakeside town of Iznik in the northwestern province of Bursa is hosting the four-day competition through Sunday after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The opening ceremony kicked off with the attendance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan pointed out the importance of the event that introduces the nomad games to the world.

"I believe that the positive energy (in the organization) that develops among the participants will open a new door to cultural diplomacy for all of us," he noted.

Erdogan also said they see the games as protecting a cultural richness that is on the verge of disappearing in the world and stressed that each activity to be performed during the games is prepared with the mission of reviving history, as well as refreshing and recording it in memory.

"From now on, we will continue to make all kinds of contributions every two years to the Nomad Games, which will continue to develop and grow," he added.

The opening ceremony concluded with a fireworks show.

The World Nomad Games, a project initiated by the government in 2012 to revive and preserve the culture of nomadic civilizations, began in Kyrgyzstan that hosted the first, second, and third editions in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Under the leadership of the World Ethnosport Confederation, the four-day event will feature horse competitions, wrestling, and archery.

"The mission of the World Nomad Games covers the revival, development, and preservation of the ethnoculture, diversity, and originality of the people of the world in order to foster a more tolerant and open relationship between people," according to the official website of the games.