Antalya: The calendar and vision for next year's Ethnosports 2027, an Olympics for traditional sports worldwide, have been laid out for the landmark event, the head of the World Ethnosport Union said Sunday. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 8th Ethnosport Forum in the Turkish Riviera city of Antalya, Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the forum and extended gratitude to participants for their contributions towards shaping the future of traditional sports.
According to Anadolu Agency, the two-day event brought together more than 100 high-level state officials, including over 15 sports and culture ministers, alongside international delegations, representatives from World Ethnosport Union member federations, academics, and traditional sports athletes from 29 countries. Serving as the global communication partner, Anadolu supported the forum, which focused on strategic issues related to the sustainability of ethnosports.
The forum emphasized values such as tradition, solidarity, respect, and peace, while focusing on sustainability in ethnosports and strengthening international cooperation. It drew representatives from 50 institutional members across 29 countries affiliated with the World Ethnosport Union, along with government officials, federation representatives, academics, and researchers. Organizers stated that the forum's sessions and discussions helped shape the future of traditional sports and served as a starting point for preparations for Ethnosports 2027.
A key topic was the planned 2027 event, with experts set to assess its vision, organizational structure, international participation strategies, sponsorship models, and media planning. Ethnosports 2027 aims to create a massive global sporting event designed to bring traditional athletes from around the world together on a single competitive platform. This visionary project seeks to institutionalize traditional sports and games according to international standards, establishing them as a global brand.
During the forum, all operational processes from the preparation phase to implementation strategies were discussed in detail. Erdogan concluded the ceremony expressing hope that the journey to Ethnosports 2027 would bring significant benefits and extended an invitation to the 8th Ethnosport Culture Festival, set to be held in Istanbul on May 21-24.