The 7th Ethnosport Forum, held under the slogan "Revival of Traditional Sports" and attended by participants from 75 countries, has begun in St. Petersburg, Russia.

At the opening of the forum, for which Anadolu Agency is the "Global Communication Partner," President of the World Ethnosport Confederation (WEC) Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan began his speech by saying:
"It is a great pleasure to come together today in St. Petersburg, one of the world's most distinguished cities with its historical texture, elegant architecture, and cultural richness, on the occasion of the 7th Ethnosport Forum."

He added, "Let us not forget that the more we preserve our traditions, the more we safeguard our common future."

Erdoğan emphasized that the Ethnosport Forums are among the most comprehensive global platforms organized to revive traditional sports and games:
"This forum, enriched each year by the participation of high-level bureaucrats, federation representatives, academics, and sports figures from diverse regions, is not only a meeting point but also a concrete embodiment of the will to protect humanity's shared heritage."

He noted that during the forum, important sessions would be held:
"Experts will discuss a wide range of crucial topics, from integrating traditional sports into urban life and their accessibility for city dwellers, to the evolution of the concept of 'national athlete' in traditional sports."

Erdoğan continued, "As the World Ethnosport Confederation, we are committed to preserving this heritage with an approach built on the principles of tradition, peace, respect, and solidarity. Because we know that traditional sports go beyond physical activity; they also reconstruct humanity's ancient bonds with self, nature, and society."

He expressed his appreciation for Russia's efforts to keep its traditional sports alive:
"I would like to express my pleasure that Russia is actively participating in this movement to preserve traditions."

Erdoğan also noted:
"Today, the World Ethnosport Confederation has become a large family with 27 member countries and 41 member federations. We will continue to do our best to help this family grow stronger and make an impact around the world."

He invited all participants to the upcoming 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival to be held in Istanbul:
"On this occasion, I would like to invite you all to the 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival, which we will organize in Istanbul from May 22 to 25. We will be honored to host all the colors and traditions of the world."

Erdoğan expressed his sincere gratitude to the host President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin; to the President of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who strongly supports traditional sports in Türkiye; and to Russian Sports Minister Mr. Mikhail Degtyarev for their contributions to the realization of this meaningful forum.

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev began his speech by thanking WEC President Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan for holding the 7th Ethnosport Forum in St. Petersburg.
"Sport strengthens international relations. I witnessed this last year when I attended the Nomad Games in Kazakhstan," said Degtyarev.

Serdar Karagöz, Chairman of the Board and Director General of Anadolu Agency, also participated in the forum.

The two-day forum will include various sessions, panels, and strategic discussions that will illuminate the future of traditional sports.

The forum is being attended by institutional representatives from 41 member organizations operating under WEC in countries such as Kazakhstan, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Mongolia, Argentina, Türkiye, Tunisia, Poland, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Hungary, and Uzbekistan.

Additionally, more than 10 state ministers, government officials from 75 different countries, federation representatives, academics, and traditional sports researchers are participating in the event.

We will address short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies for traditional sports and development and sustainability issues in this field.

Panels will be held under the main theme "Revival of Traditional Sports," where expert academics, federation representatives, and researchers will discuss topics such as international cooperation potential, financial sustainability, and media strategies related to traditional sports.

Anadolu Agency