Fifth World Nomad Games kick off in Astana with a spectacular opening ceremony

Astana Arena hosted the opening ceremony of the 5th World Nomad Games, bringing together more than 2,000 athletes and official representatives from 89 countries.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a welcome speech, highlighting the importance of this event in preserving and promoting the culture of nomadic people, which connects many nations.

«The Nomad Games are a celebration of unity and friendship. May our friendship be everlasting,» Tokayev declared, officially opening the 5th World Nomad Games.

The president also stressed Kazakhstan’s role as a model of unity and friendship among the peoples of Eurasia and expressed hope that these values would spread to other countries around the world.

Distinguished guests from various countries attended the opening ceremony, including Sadyr Zhaparov, president of Kyrgyzstan; Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, head of the upper house of the Turkmen parliament; Rustam Minnikhanov, rais (head) of Tatarstan and Aisen Nikolaev, head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), among others.

Before the ceremony began, delegations from the participating countries organized a solemn procession around Astana Arena, which seats up to 30,000 spectators. The parade proceeded in alphabetical order, with Kyrgyzstan — the originator of the World Nomad Games — leading the way. As the host country, Kazakhstan brought the parade to a close. Each team entered the stadium carrying their national flag.

The ceremony began with the presentation of the flag and the national anthem of the Republic of Kazakhstan, followed by a spectacular show that immersed the audience in the rich traditions of nomadic culture.

The 5th World Nomad Games, running until Sept. 13, will feature competitions in ethnic sports and showcase the cultural heritage of nomadic peoples.

This year’s games in Astana will include 21 competitive events, such as horse racing, national wrestling, martial arts, traditional archery, hunting with birds of prey and intellectual folk games.

The games attract participants from countries with nomadic heritage as well as teams from other parts of the world. In addition to the sports program, the event will also feature cultural and scholarly activities, such as the opening of the ethno-aul «The Universe of Nomads,» which aims to promote and celebrate nomadic traditions.