The 7th Ethnosport Forum will be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 19-20, with the theme “Reviving Traditional Sports.” It will bring together participants from 75 countries to explore strategies for preserving and promoting traditional sports globally.
Organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation (WEC), the forum aims to contribute to humanity by promoting four core principles: tradition, respect, solidarity, and peace.
The event will focus on short, medium, and long-term strategies for the development and sustainability of traditional sports.
The forum will open with a speech by WEC President Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan.
Following the opening remarks, a high-level Ministerial Panel will officially kick off the event.
The two-day forum will feature sessions, panels, and strategic discussions to shed light on the future of traditional sports.
WEC’s global efforts
Since its inception, WEC has focused on preserving the historical identity of traditional sports and games, enhancing intercultural interaction, and increasing global recognition.
The organization continues its national and international initiatives, aiming to revitalize collective memories through traditional sports and games, while respecting shared human values.
The forum will welcome representatives from around 40 countries, including Kazakhstan, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Mongolia, Argentina, Türkiye, Tunisia, Poland, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Hungary, and Uzbekistan.
Over 10 government ministers, along with officials, federations, academics, and researchers from 75 countries, will also attend.
Panels, discussions
Under the theme “Reviving Traditional Sports,” the forum will feature a series of panels.
Experts, federation representatives, and researchers will discuss topics such as the international collaboration potential, financial sustainability, and media strategies of traditional sports.
Solutions will also be proposed to increase the reach and popularity of traditional sports and games.
One of the prominent discussions will focus on “Traditional Sports as a Tool for Cultural Diplomacy and Their Role in International Events,” featuring WEC President Bilal Erdoğan.
Other panels will explore topics like “Adapting Traditional Sports to Urban Environments: Strategies for Promoting Traditional Sports in Densely Populated Cities” and “Becoming a National Athlete in Traditional Sports: Challenges and Contributions.”
Additionally, the 5th World Nomad Games report will be presented.
Held in Kazakhstan in September 2024, the event saw over 2,000 athletes from 90 countries competing in 21 traditional sports, including horseback games, intellectual games, martial arts, archery and falconry.