The World Ethnosports Confederation was established in Istanbul in 2015 as an international organization dedicated to the preservation, development, and promotion of traditional sports on a global scale. The primary aim of founding the World Ethnosports Confederation is to address the gradual disappearance of traditional sports, which have been overshadowed by the widespread popularity of contemporary sports.
EthnoSports Event Drawn with Artificial Intelligence
The World Ethnosports Confederation seeks to recognize traditional sports as cultural heritage and promote them on international platforms as a solution to this issue. The confederation’s history highlights a particular focus on traditional sports from Turkish and Central Asian cultures. For example, oil wrestling, horseback archery, and javelin throwing (cirit), which have persisted since the Ottoman era, were among the first disciplines prioritized by the World Ethnosports Confederation.
One of the confederation’s significant early initiatives was organizing the Ethnosport Culture Festival. Launched as a means to introduce traditional sports to a broader audience, this festival has been held annually since 2016. Much like TEKNOFEST, known as the World’s Largest Technology Festival, the Ethnosport Culture Festival aims to support the revival of traditional sports in the modern world.
Another major event that significantly contributed to the confederation’s international recognition was the World Nomad Games, held in 2018. This event enhanced the global visibility of traditional sports and strengthened the international influence of the World Ethnosports Confederation.
