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Sports ministers and senior officials attending the eighteighth Ethnosport Forum in Antalya used a high-level ministerial panel to stress peace, dialogue, and cooperation, with World Ethnosport Union President Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan saying he hoped sport could once again serve as a platform for mutual understanding in a world marked by conflict.
Held in Antalya on Türkiye’s southern Mediterranean coast, the panel brought together ministers and delegates from countries including Iran, Yemen, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan as part of a wider forum focused on the future of traditional sports, also referred to as ethnosports, meaning heritage-based sporting practices passed down through generations.
Moderating the panel, Erdogan said growing international interest in traditional sports showed the field was gaining momentum, adding that the venue for the forum’s 2027 edition would be announced soon.
He also pointed to the presence of ministers from countries affected by war, saying their participation showed the forum could still open up space for dialogue. In one of the panel’s clearest messages, Erdogan said: "I hope that sports will once again serve as a tool and platform for peace, dialogue, and cooperation. I hope that we can hold future forums in a more peaceful world."
Yemen’s Minister of Youth and Sports Nayef Saleh al-Bakri likewise framed the gathering as more than a sports event, saying traditional sports have long formed part of civilizations and that the forum carried a broader call for peace and stability.
Describing the significance of the moment, Bakri said the event "conveys a message of peace to all world leaders and countries" and added that young people need unity and stability to live in peace. He also said his delegation had traveled through several countries to reach Türkiye from war-hit Yemen and wanted to carry that message as widely as possible.
Alongside calls for peace, the panel also showed how countries are beginning to prepare for Ethnosports 2027, a planned international event intended to bring traditional athletes together on a single global platform.
Russian Sports Minister Michael Degtyarev said President Vladimir Putin had placed strong importance on traditional sports and noted that Russia had officially identified nine national sports, set up federations for them, and included them in competition calendars. He added that national teams were now being formed for Ethnosport 2027.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Tourism and Sport Yerbol Myrzabossynov said his country had consistently supported the forum, while Kyrgyzstan’s Director of Culture and Sport Urmat Asanbaev underlined the role of traditional sports in preserving national values and helping people get to know one another better.
Asanbaev said Kyrgyzstan was mobilizing public institutions to promote these sports and preserve cultural values, adding that 12 sports had been identified in the country. He also highlighted the importance of the Nomad Games, which Kyrgyzstan is set to host in late August.
The wider forum, which runs until Sunday afternoon, has brought together more than 100 senior state officials, including over 15 sports and culture ministers, as well as academics, researchers, federation representatives, and athletes from 29 countries.
Anadolu is serving as the global communication partner for the event, which centers on sustainability in ethnosports and stronger international cooperation. Organizers say discussions are focused on how to preserve traditional sports and games, expand intercultural interaction, and build public awareness in the field.
Panels during the forum are addressing international cooperation, financial sustainability, and media strategies, while also examining ways to make traditional sports and game awards more accessible to wider audiences.
A central focus of the forum is Ethnosports 2027, which organizers describe as a large-scale global sporting event designed to bring together traditional athletes from around the world under shared international standards.
Experts at the forum are discussing the event’s vision, organizational structure, international participation plans, sponsorship models, and media planning. Organizers say these sessions will help shape the future direction of traditional sports and serve as a starting point for preparations for the 2027 event.
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