THE 6TH WORLD NOMAD GAMES HELD IN KYRGYZSTAN | IOV GLOBAL PRESIDENT CHEN PING ATTENDS SERIES OF INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EVENTS AT ISSYK-KUL
2026 WORLD NOMAD GAMES
On August 31, 2026, the 6th World Nomad Games opened in Kyrgyzstan. Athletes and representatives from the cultural and academic sectors of over 100 countries gathered in the country. Professor Chen Ping, Global President of the International Organization of Folk Art (IOV), UNESCO Chairholder on the Transmission and Innovation of Traditional Handicrafts Worldwide, and Dean of the Institute of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries at Jinan University, traveled to Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of the Kyrgyz side to participate in a series of cultural events held in the Issyk-Kul region.
Official Poster of the 6th World Nomad Games
This year's World Nomad Games ran from August 31 to September 6. The grand opening ceremony took place in the capital, Bishkek, on August 31; starting September 1, the main sporting events as well as cultural and scientific activities moved to the Issyk-Kul region. The Games featured 43 traditional sports competitions alongside a rich array of cultural programs including traditional music, ethnic costumes, handicrafts, culinary culture, and displays of nomadic life. Initiated by Kyrgyzstan in 2014, the World Nomad Games has, over more than a decade, gradually become an important platform for showcasing nomadic civilization and facilitating international cultural exchange.
'Echo of the Nomads': Traditional Music Gathers by the Shores of Issyk-Kul
On September 1, the 'Echo of the Nomads' International Ethnic Music Festival opened in Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul Region. Ulan Mamatkanov, Vice Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Salkyn Sarnogoeva, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy, were among those in attendance. In his address, Mamatkanov noted that following the grand opening ceremony in Bishkek, the Games' main sporting, cultural, and scientific activities were unfolding along the shores of Issyk-Kul.
Scene from the opening ceremony of the 'Echo of the Nomads' International Ethnic Music Festival
Ulan Mamatkanov, Vice Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, attends and addresses the opening ceremony of the 'Echo of the Nomads' International Ethnic Music Festival
The festival brought together traditional musicians and artistic troupes from various countries. Ethnic music, songs, dances, and costumes intertwined along the lakeshore, marking the beginning of the Games' Issyk-Kul cultural program.
By bringing together traditional music from different countries, the 'Echo of the Nomads' festival promotes cultural exchange and strengthens friendship among peoples
Group photo of some guests at the festival
Kyrchyn Grassland Presents 'Universe of Nomads — Living Heritage'
On September 2, the opening ceremony of 'Universe of Nomads — Living Heritage,' a large-scale ethnic cultural event in the Nomad Town of the 6th World Nomad Games, was held on the Kyrchyn Grassland. Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, visited Kyrchyn and toured the traditional yurt cultural spaces representing Kyrgyzstan's seven regions. In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Kasymaliev pointed out that the concept of 'living heritage' means not only preserving the arts left by one's ancestors but also carrying them forward into daily life.
Opening ceremony of 'Universe of Nomads — Living Heritage,' the large-scale ethnic cultural event in the Nomad Town of the 6th World Nomad Games
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev attends and addresses the opening ceremony
Participants from different countries walk among the yurts and grasslands, experiencing at close range the living traditions and cultural heritage of nomadic peoples
On that day, the Kyrchyn Grassland became an open-air grand stage of nomadic culture. Traditional yurts, ethnic costumes, folk handicrafts, traditional games, songs and dances, and living customs were all on display. The 'Journey of Solidarity' arrived at the main stage, where the large-scale live performance World · Life was also staged. Participants from different countries wandered among the yurts and grasslands, experiencing at close range the living traditions and cultural heritage of nomadic peoples.
 |  |
 |  |
The Kyrchyn Grassland becomes an open-air grand stage of nomadic culture
Attending the opening ceremony of 'Universe of Nomads — Living Heritage'
Conversing with attending guests
Nomad Fest Brings Together Traditional Handicrafts and Ethnic Art
On the evening of September 2, the opening event of 'Nomad Fest,' the International Music and Ethnology Festival, was held. Soyuzbek Nadyrbekov, First Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan, presided over and addressed the opening ceremony. He described Nomad Fest as an important international cultural project that brings together nomadic civilization, ethnic culture, and the values of modern ethnic art, and emphasized: 'Culture is the most powerful tool for uniting people and promoting peace and friendship. Through such large-scale events, we will carry forward the nomadic spirit and proudly pass our cultural heritage on to future generations.'
Scene from 'Nomad Fest,' the International Music and Ethnology Festival
The several-day Nomad Fest encompassed ethnic music, dance, ethnic fashion, and folk handicrafts, with demonstrations and exchanges of traditional crafts also on the program. The opening ceremony featured artistic performances centered on the Manas epic as a key cultural element. Artists, artisans, and cultural workers from different countries gathered here, painting yet another rich cultural picture of Issyk-Kul beyond the sporting competitions.
 |  |
From the ethnic music of Cholpon-Ata, to the yurts, handicrafts, and traditional life on the Kyrchyn Grassland, to the multinational artistic exchange of Nomad Fest, the cultural program of the World Nomad Games unfolded continuously at Issyk-Kul. Over the course of several days, Chen Ping participated in related events, engaging with Kyrgyz government officials, representatives of international cultural institutions, and artists, artisans, and cultural workers from various countries. Traditional sports, folk art, and cultural heritage were interconnected within a single international gathering, forming the distinctive cultural character of this year's World Nomad Games.
