BISHKEK, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of the Third World Nomad Games was held on Sunday in Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul region.
Over 2,000 athletes from 80 countries and regions are participate in the Games that includes 37 individual sports. This year, a Chinese delegation of 39 people also joined the game.
The World Nomadic Games is an international sports competitions in ethnic sports. The contest is based on the folk games of the nomadic peoples of Eurasia.
The initiator of the Nomad Games was Kyrgyzstan in 2012. In 2014, the First World Nomad Games was held in Kyrgyzstan and the second edition was in 2016.
The main purpose of the Games is to preserve and revive the culture of the nomadic peoples of the world, through the strengthening of cultural ties between the participating countries and regions, as well as the preservation and bring the national sports of the nomadic peoples of the world to the international level.
In addition to sports competitions, cultural events will also take place. A traditional ethno-village has been built on Kyrchyn gorge, where guests can see firsthand how the nomads lived and get acquainted with the traditions and culture of Kyrgyz people.
According to the organizers, more than 500 representatives of foreign media outlets from 58 countries and regions have come to Kyrgyzstan to cover the Games.
The next World Nomad Games will be held in Turkey in 2020.
