The 6th Ethnosports Forum, held under the slogan “Revival of Traditional Sports,” began at a hotel in the Belek Tourism Center, affiliated with the Serik district of Antalya.
President Erdogan of the World Ethnosports Confederation stated in his opening speech that they had postponed the forum planned for last year due to the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, centered in Kahramanmaraş and affecting 11 provinces.
Erdogan expressed that since the first day of the earthquakes, the World Ethnosports Confederation has undertaken a significant mission in the region, stating, “With your great support, we provided shelter for thousands of families in Solidarity Rooms we established for earthquake victims.”
Emphasizing the sustainability of all efforts for the revival of traditional sports and games, Erdogan stated that the synergy they created by coming together has yielded beautiful results over time. He said, “Our forums and festivals, as well as events taking place in different parts of the world, show us that our excitement is growing, and our common story is strengthening. We are fighting to develop relationships with communities that live and preserve their traditions, no matter where in the world. We are aware that there are values that connect us from east to west, north to south, in different geographies of the world. We set out to discover this richness. Today, with our 30 members in 21 countries, we continue on our path with the goal of becoming a bigger family every day. The joy of seeing the world’s different colors and cultures together in events we are invited to and participate in, especially in festivals and forums, is priceless. Events such as Yabusame in Japan, Belt Wrestling in Dubai, Pato in Argentina, and Marmi festivals in Qatar, which recently took place, add value to our work. We believe that every value that brings us together builds respect, peace, and solidarity among us. I believe that the principles we have nurtured among us are stronger than wars and pains. This belief calls on us to stand alongside human dignity against massacres that disregard human life, such as what we witness in Gaza today. As we vigorously defend peace and solidarity, I am confident that those who advocate for massacres and wars will quickly turn away from their mistakes. You will see that we have unity in our roots. We have a lot to talk about and share with each other.”
New logo launched
Erdogan announced that at the forum, they will sign a goodwill agreement with 60 member federations to establish common rules for the World Ethnosports Confederation, stating that this agreement will be the result of their efforts so far.
Reminding that the 5th Ethnosports Culture Festival held in Istanbul in 2022 saw the participation of thousands of athletes and 1 million visitors from various countries, Erdogan also mentioned that they organized the World Nomad Games in 2022 in the town of Iznik in Bursa, hosted by the Traditional Sports Branches Federation.
Erdogan announced that Kazakhstan will host the World Nomad Games in 2024, and at the end of his speech, he unveiled the new logo of the confederation.
Antalya