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Rector of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan participated in the 8th Ethnosport Forum held in Antalya, where he engaged in discussions focused on the maintaining of traditional sports, the safeguarding of cultural heritage, and enhancing the international visibility of the shared values of the Turkic world. Organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation between April 3–5, the forum stands out as a global platform aiming to shape the future of traditional sports. Manas University also took part in the event with its institutional and academic approach that embraces and protects cultural memory.

The forum held in Antalya was attended by the President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, as well as public representatives, federation officials, academicians, sports administrators, and civil society organizations from 29 countries affiliated with the Confederation. Additionally, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Edil Baisalov and Director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Urmat Asanbaev were also present at the forum. Within the scope of the forum, key topics such as the sustainability of traditional sports, maintaining of cultural heritage, development of international cooperation, media strategies, and short-term, medium-term, and long-term roadmaps within the framework of the “Ethnosports 2027” vision were discussed.

“Peace Can Be Built Through Sports Infrastructure”

At the opening session of the forum, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan emphasized that Ethnosport is not merely an initiative aimed at preserving traditional sports, but also provides a strong cultural and humanitarian foundation that gains greater significance in the face of an increasingly fragile global peace environment. He stated, “As each of us traced the roots of our own heritage, we found one another. These traces showed that our ancestors walked the same paths,” highlighting the concept of Ethnosport as a unifying force that brings different societies together within a shared historical and cultural memory. He also expressed the global vision for this field by stating, “Ethnosports 2027 will symbolize the revival of traditional sports.”

At a time when wars and conflicts are intensifying across the world, and the unifying and peace-building role of sports is gradually weakening, the re-emergence of Ethnosport as a space that fosters partnership, solidarity, and cultural rapprochement became one of the most striking messages of the forum. In this regard, the messages delivered during the forum pointed to the need for sports to once again become a bridge connecting societies.

Rector Ceylan: “Ethnosport is Not Just Sport, It is a Matter of Identity”

Rector Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan emphasized that the Ethnosport Forum is not only a platform for promoting traditional sports, but also a strategic arena where a shared sense of history, culture, and identity is being strengthened at the international level. Prof. Dr. Ceylan noted that Manas University contributes to this process not as a passive participant, but as a leading higher education institution that carries the common heritage of the Turkic world at academic, cultural, and institutional levels. He further stated that the university’s scientific research on the Turkic cultural geography, its focus on historical heritage, its efforts to strengthen cultural identity among younger generations, and its international collaborations are directly aligned with the vision embodied by Ethnosport.

“Manas University as a Regional Power Center for Ethnosport”

Rector Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan stated that Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, with its strong academic background, extensive sports infrastructure, indoor and outdoor facilities, physical capacity suitable for traditional sports organizations, and its versatile campus, serves as a powerful regional center for ethnosport activities. Prof. Dr. Ceylan remarked: “As Manas University, we do not view traditional sports merely as folkloric elements inherited from the past, but as living values that carry the memory, life knowledge, and civilizational vision of nations. We make concrete contributions to the vision of cultural continuity, institutionalization, and international visibility targeted by this forum through both our sports activities and our scientific knowledge production, cultural diplomacy, and Turkic world-oriented academic collaborations.” Prof. Dr. Ceylan also emphasized that the university’s physical and institutional capacity offers strong potential to host larger-scale ethnosport events in the future.

“The World Ethnosport Confederation Has Brought Traditional Sports to the Global Stage”

Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan highlighted that the efforts of the World Ethnosport Confederation have played a significant role in making traditional sports more visible, better organized, and stronger at the international level in recent years, and expressed his gratitude to Bilal Erdoğan for his leadership in this process. Rector Ceylan noted that ethnosport has experienced substantial growth in terms of maintaining cultural heritage, transmitting it to younger generations, and carrying it into the future within an institutional vision. He stated that international organizations, collaborations, and strategic initiatives implemented in recent years have made substantial contributions to strengthening this field in a sustainable manner. Rector Ceylan also underlined that traditional sports are now being addressed within a broader cultural and institutional framework, acknowledging the valuable contributions of all stakeholders involved in this development. He concluded by stating that ethnosport will play an increasingly decisive role in the fields of cultural diplomacy, youth policies, and international cooperation in the coming period.

A Legacy of Experience Has Positioned Manas as a Leading Institution in Ethnosport

The interest and contributions of Rector Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan in the field of ethnosport are rooted in a strong background that extends far beyond his participation in this year’s forum. Having played an active role for many years in the preservation, institutionalization, and scientific development of traditional sports, Prof. Dr. Ceylan served as the President of the Turkish Traditional Sports Federation between 2012 and 2016. He also held positions as Head of the Turkish Delegation and as a member of the organizing committee at the 1st and 2nd World Nomad Games.

During his tenure as Rector of Manas University, Ceylan pioneered the establishment of the Institute of Traditional Games and Sports Research and the Faculty of Sports Sciences. Through the development of practice areas at the Cengiz Aytmatov Campus, as well as the organization of international events and scientific activities, he has contributed to strengthening ethnosport both academically and institutionally. In recognition of these contributions, Prof. Dr. Ceylan was awarded the “Outstanding Service Medal” by the Kyrgyz Kurosh International Federation at the 6th Ethnosport Forum held in 2024.

Engagements for International Cooperation

During the forum, Rector Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan met with public officials, sports administrators, federation representatives, academicians, and representatives of cultural institutions from various countries to discuss potential academic, cultural, and sporting collaborations in the field of ethnosport. Key topics addressed in these meetings included promoting multidisciplinary academic research on traditional sports, developing inter-university joint projects, expanding cultural awareness initiatives for younger generations, and strengthening institutional partnerships in organizing international events.

Emphasizing that Manas University’s academic expertise, sports infrastructure, and institutional capacity oriented toward the Turkic world provide a solid foundation for multilateral cooperation in this field, Ceylan noted that ethnosport is not only important for preserving cultural heritage but also serves as a strategic field that fosters lasting connections, joint production, and sustainable cooperation networks among countries and institutions.

Manas TV'nin Haberi: https://youtu.be/B9PdJoFZg8g?si=qCPBlkFc-4a-Ge2-