The 7th Ethnoidman International Cultural Festival has started in Istanbul.

Axar.az reports that the festival, organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation and attended by a total of 35 countries this year, has organized events on many topics, such as traditional sports and games, traditional art, gastronomy, and performing arts.

Our country is represented at the festival by more than a hundred delegations of the State Border Service, organized by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation (ARAF), an Azerbaijani tent set up by the Azerbaijani Cultural Center under our embassy in Turkiye, and 20 Karabakh horses.

The festival, which will last until May 25, includes a total of 6 performances by Karabakh horses.

Items representing the national values ​​of Azerbaijan, including carpets, publications, and kelagayis, are displayed in our tent set up in the territory of Atatürk Airport, where the event is held. More than a thousand people visited the Azerbaijani tent, which aroused great interest among the guests, on the first day of the event.

The event, which was also attended by ARAF President Elchin Guliyev, also showcased our national dances performed by the “Zangezur” Folk Dance Group of the Cultural Center.

It should be noted that the festival, where national sports of Turkic-speaking peoples, such as horse riding, archery, and wrestling, are demonstrated, introduces unique games from different geographies every year. The theme of this year’s festival, which has been traditionally organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation since 2016, “Tradition Begins with Family,” reflects the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” in Turkiye. For this purpose, a “Family Tent” was set up for the first time this year within the framework of the festival to encourage families to unite, and special seminars, traditional games, and family activities were organized.

Speaking about the event, Bilal Erdogan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, evaluated this festival not only as a sports event, but also as a revival of culture.

It was noted that since its launch in Kyrgyzstan in 2015, ethnodomination has grown from a regional effort to an international movement. The confederation today includes 27 member groups from 42 countries and aims to reach 60 countries soon.

He stressed that the main goal of the organization he leads is to preserve traditions and pass them on to future generations.