The 8th Ethnosport Culture Festival opened in Istanbul on Thursday at the Atatürk Airport National Garden, launching a four-day international gathering that places traditional sports, cultural heritage and cross-cultural exchange at the center of a vast public program running through May 24.

Organized by the World Ethnosport Union (WEU), the festival has evolved into a major cultural platform aimed at preserving and revitalizing traditional games and heritage practices that are increasingly overshadowed by modern, commercial sport systems.

This year’s edition reinforces Istanbul’s position as a meeting point between regions and traditions stretching from Central Asia to Europe, East Asia and North Africa.

The opening ceremony brought together senior Turkish officials, including WEU President Bilal Erdoğan, Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak and Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, underscoring the state-level backing behind the event and its expanding cultural footprint.

Ceremonial elements opened the festival with a staged performance in front of the Han Tent area, where students performed the Gülbank tradition, followed by a mehter band performance from the Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble.

The sequence blended ritual, music and symbolic heritage presentation, setting a formal tone before the start of competitions and exhibitions.

Bilal Erdoğan said this year’s theme, "The world is here,” reflects the presence of athletes, artists and cultural representatives from a wide range of countries, including Japan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.

He said the festival is designed as a shared cultural space where traditional sports and games act as a bridge between generations, with children positioned at the center of participation and learning.

He emphasized that many of the activities are structured to allow young visitors to experience traditional games directly, arguing that early exposure to culturally rooted sports helps preserve identity and strengthens intergenerational continuity.

He also described the festival as a "family structure” where cultural diversity is brought together in a shared environment rather than separated by geography.

Kemal Memişoğlu focused on the health and social dimensions of traditional sports, highlighting disciplines such as archery, oil wrestling, javelin and horseback games.

He said these activities build discipline, coordination, courage and endurance while also serving as a response to what he described as one of the most pressing modern health issues, physical inactivity.

He added that traditional sports can counter the growing pull of digital environments, particularly for younger generations, arguing that cultural athletic practices keep children connected to both physical activity and historical identity. He said a generation rooted in its own history is less vulnerable to social and cultural instability.

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described culture as a continuous link between past and future, stating that this year’s festival is built around four core principles: peace, solidarity, love and tradition. He said these values are intended to shape not only the festival experience but also broader social awareness.

Ersoy also pointed to social responsibility initiatives within the festival grounds, including programs led with civil society groups. These include efforts to highlight humanitarian concerns in conflict-affected regions, with specific attention drawn to crises affecting civilians in places such as Gaza.

Osman Aşkın Bak emphasized Türkiye’s growing investment in sports infrastructure and its increasing role in hosting international competitions. He referenced recent major sporting events and upcoming tournaments, including the UEFA Europa League final held in Istanbul and future events such as the 2032 European Championship and the 2027 European Games.

He said these developments reflect Türkiye’s ambition to position itself as a global sports hub, while also crediting athletes who have brought international success to the country.

Davut Gül linked the festival to Istanbul’s historical identity, noting its timing during a culturally significant period in the city’s calendar as it approaches the anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul.

Across the Atatürk Airport National Garden, the festival site has been transformed into a multi-layered cultural landscape.

Dedicated arenas host traditional sports including oil wrestling, horseback archery, belt wrestling, aba wrestling and kok boru, alongside equestrian events such as mounted javelin and other horseback disciplines that emphasize coordination, strength and endurance.

Beyond competition, the festival functions as an open cultural exhibition space.

Country pavilions and nomadic-style tents present traditional clothing, crafts and daily life practices from participating nations, allowing visitors to move through distinct cultural environments within a single venue.

Artisans demonstrate techniques in weaving, metalwork, woodcraft and other heritage skills passed through generations.

Food culture forms a major part of the experience, with regional culinary zones offering traditional dishes that reflect the identity and history of participating countries.

These areas are designed as integrated cultural spaces rather than separate attractions, linking cuisine directly to heritage and community memory.

Family-oriented workshops and interactive zones are spread throughout the grounds, with a strong focus on children. These areas introduce traditional games and crafts in hands-on formats, aligning with the festival’s stated goal of transferring cultural knowledge through experience rather than observation.

A broad program of music and performance runs across multiple stages, featuring folk ensembles, dance groups and contemporary interpretations of traditional forms.

Participation from countries such as Spain, Palestine, Morocco and Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside Central Asian and East Asian delegations, highlights the festival’s widening international scope.

Free and open to the public, the festival is expected to draw large crowds throughout its run, with peak attendance anticipated over the weekend as visitors move between sporting arenas, cultural villages and performance spaces spread across the extensive site.