6th World Nomad Games:
The Prime Minister of India attended the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, highlighting India’s growing cultural and strategic engagement with Central Asia.
- World Nomad Games established via the 2012 Bishkek Declaration (Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey) to promote the traditions, history and cultural heritage of nomadic peoples.
- First held in 2014, the World Nomad Games (WNG) has evolved into a UN-recognised biennial platform for intercultural dialogue and sustainable development, attracting participants from 90+ countries and hosted across regions including Central Asia, Türkiye and Kazakhstan.
- Distinct from the standard Olympics, the event emphasizes ancestral civilizational heritage over strict geopolitical ties, uniting nations to celebrate traditional nomadic survival practices like horseback riding, falconry, and indigenous wrestling.
- Features traditional athletic and tactical games such as Kok Boru, Kurash, Goresh, Mongol Bokh, archery, and Toguz Korgool.
- Cultural Programme Showcases indigenous music, crafts, cuisine, and festivals. It is officially inscribed on the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices under the project title “Nomad Games: Rediscovering Heritage, Celebrating Diversity”.
- Dedicated to researching nomadic history, preserving traditional knowledge, and fostering intercultural dialogue.
- Fielded an 87-member contingent competing in traditional disciplines such as Kurash, Goresh, Mongol Bokh (wrestling), Kok Boru (equestrian), and Toguz Korgool (strategy board games).
- Kok Boru, a traditional Kyrgyz horseback game similar to polo, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.
