Flags fluttered and hoofbeats thundered across the tarmac of Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport this week at the 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival. The event opened in a colourful celebration of ancestral games, music, and shared humanity.

Organised by the World Ethnosport Confederation (WEC), the four-day event that started on May 22 and will end on May 25, gathers over 1,000 athletes from 35 countries to honour a common cultural legacy.

The theme of this year’s festival Tradition Begins in the Family aligns with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s declaration of 2025 as Türkiye’s official "Year of the Family."

Through performances, interactive workshops, and cultural showcases, the festival has become a living testament to how values rooted in history can thrive in a rapidly modernising world.

In his opening remarks, Bilal Erdogan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, highlighted the broader mission of the festival by emphasising the cultural preservation as a national and global responsibility:

“We are delighted to see such strong public interest so early on the first day. It’s proof that younger generations long for a connection to their heritage. This festival is not just a tribute to the past, it’s a bridge to the future. If we successfully pass on the values that made these lands our homeland, they will remain our homeland for another thousand years. We must not lose those values. I extend my gratitude to all those contributing to this event.”

Erdogan also invoked humanitarian dimension of cultural expression, highlighting the importance of play for children around the world:

“Every child has a right to play. But too many children, especially in places like Gaza, are robbed of that right. This festival is also a moral stance, a gathering of conscience where we call for a world where children laugh under open skies, not hide beneath rubble.”

Launched in 2015 in Kyrgyzstan, the Ethnosport movement has grown to include 42 member organisations across 27 countries, with plans to expand its reach to 60 nations within the next five years.

Call for cultural continuity

This year’s festival showcases a wide spectrum of traditional sports—from mounted archery and belt wrestling to time-honoured board games like Mangala and 19 Tas. But Ethnosport is more than cultural nostalgia; it presents itself as a modern response to rising screen dependency among young people.

Osman Askin Bak, Türkiye’s Youth and Sports Minister, who joined Erdogan for the festival’s inauguration, praised the event for engaging young people:

“Seeing our children and youth embrace this festival fills us with hope. Culture is one of the core values of our nation. We are grateful to the World Ethnosport Confederation for keeping these traditions alive. With support from our President, we’re building a strong, rooted, and active generation. Sports, traditions, and cultural identity—they all go hand in hand.”

He added a pointed reminder: “We must not forget Gaza. Let us not remain silent while children are killed. Let us raise our voices for a world where every child gets to play.”

Mosaic of memory and identity

Among festival-goers was Ayse Nur Menekse, a researcher and writer, surrounded by the sounds of folk instruments and the scent of earth from the felt tents, was moved by the atmosphere of living tradition:

“This was not just a display of heritage—it was a mosaic of identity,” she tells TRT World. “The festival felt like a cultural bridge stretching from our past into our future. In an era where we fear losing our roots to digitalization, this is a revival grounded in belonging.”

She added, “Watching different nations perform side by side—creating, sharing, laughing together—was deeply moving. As I walked through the Kyrgyz and Kazakh tents, I imagined myself riding freely across the steppes, hand in hand with our Central Asian brothers and sisters. It was a moment worth a lifetime.”

Across the festival grounds, visitors tried their hand at archery, traditional wrestling, and horseback riding. Children listened to folk tales while adults browsed artisan workshops and sampled cuisines from around the world. sample world cuisines and explore artisan workshops in the cultural tent villages.

A new highlight this year is the “Family Oba”, a dedicated space where families create crafts, listen to heritage talks, and experience games that strengthen intergenerational bonds.

As the Karabakh Horses dazzled spectators with their breathtaking acrobatic routines, and as melodies drifted from the Instrument Museum to the Toy Exhibits, the Ethnosport Festival revealed its deeper purpose: not merely to preserve culture, but to allow it to breathe, grow, and connect people across borders.

“Every tent told a story,” says Ayse Nur Menekse. “Every melody carried an identity. Every game passed down a value.”

For writer Melike Gunyuz, this was her first experience at the Ethnosport Festival as it left a lasting impression when she spoke to TRT World:

“The atmosphere was exhilarating,” she says, her voice animated by excitement. “The Karabakh team from Azerbaijan was particularly stunning—a full ensemble of musicians, folk dancers, and equestrian athletes performing together. And what struck me most was that women were part of these acrobatic displays on horseback.”

As for Gunyuz, the takeaway was simple, but profound: “I  kept asking myself: Why have I never been here before? Every child and every young person should experience this. It’s not just an event—it’s a feeling that stays with you.”

Running through 25 May with free entry, the 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival invites the public to witness culture in motion: to taste, hear, feel, and live the spirit of tradition.