The World Nomad Games takes place on September 8th-13th 2024 in Central Asia. It is an international sports competition celebrating ethnic sports. Organizers are actively preparing for the event, with enthusiasm for the event growing across Central Asia and beyond as a sporting and cultural festival of the nomadic heritage.

Initially, the Games started in 2014 and have rapidly expanded in terms of popularity and the number of participants, and are now recognized as a global celebration of the nomadic culture. Around 83 different countries are expected to participate in the upcoming event, which will include various nomadic games, including kok-boru, a type of horseback wrestling, horse racing, archery, and falconry. In the words of the officials, the Games will represent the shared past of nomads and will contribute to the reciprocal exchange of cultures on an international level.

The official representative of the World Nomad Games has expressed the desire to host the largest and brightest event in 2024: “It is not only the competition but the reflection of the culture that has united us.” The Organizing Committee has invested substantial efforts as well as financial means, which is estimated to be $50 million, to the enhancement of infrastructure, accommodation, and guaranteeing the security and comfort of all the participants and hence the spectators. But perhaps its most memorable aspect is that the World Nomad Games combine both sport and culture.

In addition to the competitive performances, guests will be able to listen to nomadic tunes and songs, taste authentic food, and buy crafts made by the people from the desert. In addition to the Ras Afro games, over 500 cultural troupes are expected to perform, thus turning the games into a cultural fair.

Source:  The Times of Central Asia, The Astana Times