The over 2,500 athletes attending the fifth World Nomad Games kicked off in Kazakh capital of Astana on Sunday are ready to compete for medals in 21 major events at the Games.
The games, which runs from Sept. 8 to 13, will be held spontaneously at six arenas in Astana, such as the Kazanat hippodrome for kokpar competitions, and the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov martial arts palace for Qazaq Kuresi, a type of traditional wrestling.
More than 100 athletes from China will participate in 17 of the 21 games, including kokpar, horseback archery, and wrestling.
The opening ceremony was held at the Astana Arena on Sunday night.
"At the opening ceremony, we showcased not only Kazakh customs and traditions, but also the culture of the Turkic world and the Turkic people. Among them are Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, Turkmens, Azerbaijanis, Turks and Mongols," said Madi Manatbekuly, Advisor to the Directorate of the World Nomad Games.
The main sporting program started on Monday, but some competitions have already started. About 560 sport horses arrived at the field of the Kazanat hippodrome.
Horseback and traditional archery athletes also arrived at their arenas in advance to adapt to the competition environment.
"We were a bit nervous about the competition. Because there's distance that we don't usually shoot at. We normally shoot from 30 meters in Spain. So, we booked one day earlier the hotel, so we could come here to train a bit, to get used to distances," said Jorge Belinchon, a member of the Spanish traditional archery team.
An ethnic village featuring the nomadic life also opened with the games, providing visitors with a rare and unique opportunity to experience the authentic cultures of nomadic peoples.
The village will host exhibitions and workshops by artisans, folk music festivals, theatre performances, and fashion shows during the games.
The games will end with a closing ceremony on Friday, when the host country of the next World Nomad Games will be announced.
Athletes from across world set for competitions at Fifth World Nomad Games
Starting on Saturday, the Budapest China town hosted a two-day Spring Festival celebration, bringing traditional Chinese performances, delicacies and culture to the city, and attracting locals to try all kinds of activities from the east. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Temple Fair brought together thousands of artists and visitors from the East and the West to welcome the approaching 2025 Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Jan 29.
"The reason why we are here is that we are very much interested in Chinese culture, tradition and music," said a visitor. With dragon and lion dances, as well as traditional Chinese operas performed, Chinese music and dances are among the most popular forms of entertainment, especially for children. "My children love Chinese culture, so I've taken them here," said a mother with two kids. "I think this is awesome, and the music is the most attractive part. It is worth a visit," added her daughter. Many families reached the place early in the morning to find the best positions to enjoy the shows and events, which provides local people a chance to learn about Chinese traditions. "Since the temple fair's opening this morning, we have been here with the family members and our little boy loves everything here, particularly the music and dance," said a father. "We know that every Chinese Lunar Year is connected with a different animal, and as far as I know, this year is a Year of the Snake," said his wife. Every Chinese Lunar New Year ushers in a new reigning animal representing one of the 12 zodiac signs on the Chinese lunar calendar, with 2025 being a Year of the Snake.
Among all the visitors, István Jakab, deputy speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, guested the fair, and shared his best wishes for China-Hungary relations. "The friendship between China and Hungary has been a legend, and the future is bright and beautiful. Till now, the cooperation between the two countries has been productive, and we are confident we will seek closer cooperation in the future. Gong Xi Fa Cai [Wish You Great Fortune]," said Jakab. "Gong Xi Fa Cai (Wish You Great Fortune)," he added, extending best New Year wishes in Chinese.
Chinese New Year fair opened in Budapest to mark upcoming Spring Festival