Uzbekistan to host International Ethnosport Festival for the first time

From September 7 to 10, the first international ethnosport festival will be held in Khiva, Turanews.kz reports citing UzA.

The government has signed a document authorizing the holding of events within the framework of the festival.

The entertainment program will include sports competitions, a culinary tournament, and exhibitions dedicated to painting, embroidery, pottery, woodcarving, bakshi history, and literature.

In addition, winners and prize-winners will be awarded in the following categories, based on the results of the sports competitions: “Youngest Participant,” “Fan Favorite,” and “Honorary Athlete.”

The opening and closing ceremonies of the festival will take place in the Ichan Kala complex.

Sports competitions will be organized jointly with the World Ethnosport Confederation in the following sports: wrestling, Uzbek martial arts, strongman games, mas-wrestling, archery, and equestrian competitions.

The international ethnosport festival is held by order of the President of Uzbekistan every two years in Khiva. The purpose of the festival is to develop ethnosport in the republic and increase tourist flow.

Uzbekistan also plans to create a list of ethnosport types that UNESCO can designate as intangible cultural heritage.