Istanbul Ataturk Airport Opens Its Doors for Ethnosport Festival
The festival launched with a vibrant opening ceremony, featuring a student performance accompanied by the traditional Gulbank ceremony held before the Han Tent erected on the airport grounds. The Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble's celebrated Mehter band also took to the stage, filling the venue with the resonant sounds of centuries-old Ottoman martial music.
World Ethnosport Confederation President Bilal Erdogan addressed attendees at the opening, promising a programme rich in cultural immersion — spanning wrestling competitions and equestrian sports to hands-on workshops designed to bring traditional practices to life for younger generations.
"Over these four days, we will once again experience the richness of our culture together. With our children and elders, we will breathe in the spirit and atmosphere of tradition as families, and we will host guest artists, athletes and cultural figures from all around the world," Erdogan said.
He added a pointed message for the youngest attendees: "Children coming here today will experience and feel how valuable and meaningful cultural richness truly is."
Erdogan formally declared the festival open by cutting the ribbon alongside a group of children following the conclusion of opening remarks — a symbolic gesture underscoring the event's emphasis on intergenerational cultural transmission.
Set against the backdrop of one of the world's busiest transit hubs, the festival uses Istanbul's global footprint to project Türkiye's ethnosport traditions to an international audience across its four-day run.
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