The 5th World Nomad Games, in which more than 2,000 athletes from 90 countries participated in 21 traditional sports branches, were held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on 8-13 September, 2024, hosted by Kazakhstan, under the slogan “Meeting in the Great Steppe”.
The opening ceremony held at Astana Arena Stadium was attended by President of Kazakhstan Kasım Jomart Tokayev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadır Japarov, Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Turkey’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, President of Tatarstan, Republic within the Russian Federation, Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aysen Nikolayev, former President of Mongolia Nambaryn Enkhbayar, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Bilal Erdoğan, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Kubanychbek Omuraliev, as well as representatives from international organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY), the Turkic Investment Fund, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TÜRKPA), the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, and the European Union.
In his opening speech, President Tokayev thanked the leaders of the brotherly states who personally came to watch this international event. Noting that the World Nomad Games are a special project in terms of passing on invaluable heritage to younger generations, Tokayev said, “We are grateful to our Kyrgyz brothers who organized these games for the first time 10 years ago. We can call the World Nomad Games the largest competition of traditional sports in the world and the Olympics of nomads.”
According to the results of the 5th World Nomad Games, Kazakhstan ranked first with a total of 48 medals, including 21 gold, 10 silver, and 17 bronze; Kyrgyzstan came in second with a total of 23 medals, including 7 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze; and Uzbekistan ranked third with 24 medals, including 7 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze. Turkey completed the event with a total of 2 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals.
In the “Turkish-style horseback archery” competition, which featured 78 athletes from 27 countries, Turkish athlete Yiğit Kerem placed second. In the game of “Kökbörü,” Turkey faced the United States and won the match 2-1.
The games, which featured competitions in sports such as horseback games, traditional intellectual games, martial arts, and archery, attracted great interest not only from local visitors but also from foreigners.
The young visitors of the “Nomads’ World Ethno Village,” built at the site of the 5th World Nomad Games, had a fun time playing traditional games. The “Nomads’ World Ethno Village,” which every visitor who came to watch the 5th World Nomad Games toured, also featured tents from UNESCO and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.
The first three World Nomad Games were held in the city of Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan, while the fourth was hosted in İznik, Turkey. The 5th edition of the World Nomad Games was held in a capital city for the first time. The games, known as the “Olympics of traditional sports,” are held every two years. It has been announced that the 6th World Nomad Games will be held in Kyrgyzstan.
The 5th World Nomad Games ended with the closing ceremony
The closing ceremony of the games, held in the capital Astana under the slogan “Ulu Dala Dübiri” (Meeting in the Great Steppe), took place on 13 September 2024, with the participation of Kazakhstan President Kasım Jomart Tokayev.
