The Ethnosports Culture Festival, an event bringing together enthusiasts and players of ancient sports, returns to Istanbul tomorrow. Athletes and performers from 16 countries, including newcomer Argentina, will attend the four-day event.

This year's event will witness not only traditional sports and games but also some of the best examples of world cuisine as well. The participating countries will display their talents in the culinary arts, presenting their traditional food. Visitors will have a chance to taste the cuisines of Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Palestine, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldovia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine and Yemen.

The festival will also feature side events such as local rituals of the participant countries, workshops on Gokturk alphabet, carpet weaving and traditional handcrafts.

The festival's motto is based on an old Turkish saying, "Pilavdan dönenin kaşığı kırılsın," (whoever returns from his rice, his spoon will be broken) symbolizing making use of the things you have and the determination and resolve against all odds. The organizers expect a turnout of about 1 million visitors this year. With the festival, the Istanbul-based World Ethnosports Confederation, led by Bilal Erdoğan, son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, aims to promote traditional culture and sports against what organizers call the industrialization of sports.