Organized by the World Ethnosport Union, the 8th Ethnosport Culture Festival was held at Istanbul Atatürk Airport from May 21 to 24 with strong participation and great interest. Welcoming more than 1.5 million visitors over four days, the festival brought together traditional sports, cultural heritage, stage performances, and world cultures on the same ground.

With the participation of athletes, artists, and cultural representatives from 24 countries, the festival featured traditional sports such as Zorkhana from Azerbaijan, Ripka from Lithuania, and Lapta and Tavreli from Russia for the first time. Many traditional disciplines, including oil wrestling, aba wrestling, şalvar wrestling, horseback archery, mounted javelin, kok boru, kabakhi, audaryspak, and mangala, attracted great interest throughout the festival.

The festival grounds hosted oba areas, traditional handicraft workshops, children’s activities, and world cuisines, offering visitors of all ages a rich cultural experience. Children’s play areas and family-oriented activities prepared under the motto “Playing is Every Child’s Right” became some of the most visited sections of the festival.

The Main Stage hosted concerts and cultural performances throughout the festival. Artists and music groups from different genres met with visitors, adding energy and diversity to the festival atmosphere. The concert of world-renowned artist Dimash Qudaibergen became one of the most highly anticipated and well-attended performances of the festival.

Held this year under the motto “The World is Here,” the Ethnosport Culture Festival became a major cultural gathering where different cultures, traditions, and shared memories came together. The festival once again served as an international meeting point that preserves cultural heritage and carries it into the future.