Countries want to collaborate and have an inclusive policy regarding local games.
One of the most important events of UNESCO of the year–the 4th collective consultation meeting of Traditional Games and Sports, of UNESCO–was held from August 12th to 15th in Istanbul, Turkey.
Representatives at the gathering (photo, Sonia Kumari)
Many prominent figures attended, including Turkey’s Youth and Sports Minister, Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu; Gambia’s Sports Minister, Hadrammeh Sidibeh; Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister, Faiszer Mustapha; Kyrgyzstan’s Sports Minister, Kanat Amankulov; the Ivory Coast’s Sports Minister, Paulin Danho; Serbia’s Sports Minister, Vanja Udovicic; Qatar’s Culture and Sports Minister, Salah Ghanem Al-Majeed; and Michael Mustapha, Director of Sports, Sierra Leone.
Important chairpeople representing UNESCO were also present. They included Marcellin Dally, the TSG UNESCO TSG Coordinator; Khalil Ahmed Khan, Chairman Ad Hoc Advisory Committee TSG; Bilal Erdogan, and Mr. Shammi Rana, rapporteur for the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee TSG, UNESCO.
The platform had one major agenda item—including traditional sports in the daily sports culture of countries.
Shammi Rana, rapporteur for the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee TSG, UNESCO (photo, Sonia Kumari)
Premier Erdogan thanked participants for flying to Istanbul for the event and reaffirmed that it’s not just Turkey, but countries around the world, that are trying to push forward an agenda for including traditional sports. He is of the opinion that local authorities should promote local sports in the country.
Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister reaffirmed the importance of traditional games and expressed an interest in hosting South Asia’s TSG activity.
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the meeting is that countries want to collaborate–and have an inclusive policy–regarding traditional games.
