Manas University organized the "Opening Ceremony Program of the 1st Traditional Sports Games of the Union of Turkish Universities of the Organization of Turkic States on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic of Turkey" in Kyrgyzstan. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, attended the opening ceremony.
The event, which was enriched with the participation of representatives and athletes from various countries, started with folk dances and a theater performance about the Manas epic.
Delivering the opening speech, President of the Confederation Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan reminded that these lands are among the places where traditional sports are kept alive in the most vibrant way and the World Ethnosport Federation was established in Bishkek in 2015. Erdogan emphasized that the World Nomad Games organization played an important role in 2016, 2018 and 2021-2022, and that efforts are underway to strengthen traditional sports not only in the Turkic world but also around the world.
Stating that traditional sports contribute to the survival of cultures and world peace, Erdoğan said that for this reason, it is of great importance to pass on traditional sports branches and games to young generations and to support studies in this field at universities.
"We believe that the survival of cultures, the vitality of cultures contribute to world peace, and that world peace is valuable for the solidarity and brotherhood of societies," said Erdoğan and invited all academicians to support the work of the World Ethnosport Confederation.
Adding that they will continue to strengthen the work of the Confederation, doctoral scholarships and encyclopedia studies, Erdoğan stated that they aim to increase both the number and quality of academic studies in the field of traditional sports and games.
