08.09.2023

Dear participants of the festival!

Dear friends!

Ladies and gentlemen!

I sincerely congratulate all of you on the opening ceremony of International Ethnosport Festival in the ancient and magnificent city of Khiva, the renowned as a museum under the open sky.

The fact that this event is being held for the first time in our country and involves participation from international organizations such as UNESCO, TURKSOY, the World Ethnosport Confederation, as well as officials from its member-states, media, along with 930 ethnosport representatives from 63 countries, demonstrates the significant global interest and attention this festival has garnered.

It is no wonder that this event is being held in Khorazm – a city with a remarkable history of more than 3000 years. This holy land is a cradle of our rich history, culture and traditions. We take a great pride in our ancestors such as Najmiddin Kubro, Jaloliddin Manguberdi, and Pahlavon Makhmud, who were courageous and skilled leaders, born and raised in this land.

As it is well known, ethnosports, which embody the history, national values, and traditions of a people, hold great significance in nurturing young generation with love and loyalty to their homeland, fostering their physical and mental strength, and establishing friendly relations with other countries.

For this reason, there is a special attention being given in our country to promote and popularize national games, as well as to enhance international cooperation in this field. In recent years, several legislative acts have been enacted, particularly the adoption of the program to promote and develop Ethnosports among the population until 2025.

Especially, the establishment of three-tiered competition system for national sports, the annual Republic Festival on ethnosports in Tashkent, and the biennial International Ethnosport Festival in Khiva are important practical steps we have taken.

Taking into account the uniqueness of each region and city in our country, we have adopted local programs to promote and popularize national games, as well as to organize sport competitions. 

The creation of an administrative system and the establishment of athletes and coaches reserve, as well as regular organization of competitions and providing them with adequate funding, enable us to carry out the work in this field systematically.

Special attention is being given to promoting traditional games and national sports among the younger generation. Training competent professionals and conducting research in this field remain our priority.

Continuing these activities diligently, the lists of traditional games and national sports have been established. There are ongoing efforts to include Uzbek kurash into UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, specifically under the category of traditional ethnosport games.

Distinguished participants of the event!

Taking advantage of this opportunity, I express my sincere gratitude to all of you, dear participants, esteemed ambassadors of foreign countries, and representatives of international organizations.

I am confident that our collective efforts and actions will position this festival among the prestigious sport events in the world.

I wish great success to all sport competitions, international tournaments, championships, and conferences within this festival.

May You all be blessed with good health, happiness, new victories, and triumphs!

 

Shavkat Mirziyoyev,

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

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