Meeting in the Great Steppe of Kazakhstan, or

Nomad games as an element of saving the world.

Courage and speed, agility and pressure - the fifth World Nomad Games are coming to Astana, which will be held in the capital of Kazakhstan from September 8 to 14 this year.

The World Nomad Games is an international sporting event, conceived and first implemented in Kyrgyzstan, and over time gaining global status, covering more and more countries and attracting the attention of a wide audience not only in Eurasia. With the transfer of the right to host the games to Kazakhstan, the list of states participating in them expanded. So, let us repeat, for the first time the World Nomad Games were held in Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, the city of Cholpon-Ata hosted international competitions three times. In 2014, there were 583 athletes from 19 countries who participated in 10 sports; in 2016, 1,200 athletes from 62 countries competed in 26 sports; in 2018, 2,000 athletes from 82 countries came to test their strength in 37 sports. sports, in 2019 took place in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia where athletes and cultural representatives from more than 90 countries took part. And the IV World Nomad Games were held in 2022 in Turkey, 3,000 athletes from 102 countries took part in them, competing for sets of medals in 13 sports.

Today, representatives of more than 77 countries have already announced their participation in the capital of Kazakhstan, who will compete in 20 types of competitions, and where 110 sets of medals will be played.

It is expected that the sports program will include competitions in several national equestrian sports, national types of wrestling, traditional archery, and hunting with birds of prey. Intellectual sports, which were recently given serious attention in Tatarstan as part of the “Games of the Future” held in Kazan, will not be forgotten. Plus, the organizers promise a demonstration program where 10 different ethnic sports will be demonstrated.

But the current World Nomad Games consist of more than just sports competitions - they also include areas such as culture and science.

It is curious that the third Nomad Games, which took place in 2018, paid special attention to environmental issues. At the same time, the snow leopard was chosen as the official mascot of the third games. And sporting events are complemented by such activities as ethnoculture and science.

Because today there are more and more attempts to appreciate the spiritual treasures of the ancient world, including the folk games of the nomadic peoples of the world, which preserve the wisdom of centuries. This means that it is necessary to preserve and cultivate these gaming traditions and customs. Because, according to scientists, at a certain time, the knowledge and skills of antiquity can even play a key role in leading the world out of a civilizational dead end. And it is they who, with a high degree of probability, can become the notorious fifth element of saving the world.

And yes, why was it decided to hold the World Nomad Games in the fall? It turns out that it is in September that the migration from the summer site, Zhailau, to the winter site is completed. After which, the routes of caravans of people and animals with yurts and property traditionally ended at a new site with a rich tome with accompanying rituals, games and, of course, competitions.

Touch the history of nomads!