Eddie AkatchWhat if your culture's greatest sport just disappeared? Not because it wasn't good enough. Because the world has moved on without it.
That's the reality for thousands of traditional sports right now across the world, including in many parts of Africa.
They are fading into obscurity, prompting experts at this year's Ethnosport Forum in the Turkish city of Antalya to urge stronger efforts to revive and promote them.
The 8th edition of the Ethnosport Forum took place from 3 to 5 April 2026, bringing together more than 15 sports ministers, over 100 government officials, academics, athletes, and researchers from 29 countries from around the world.
Ethnosport is the umbrella term for traditional sports and games rooted in cultural heritage.
Sports for peace
From Central Asia’s Buzkashi to West Africa’s Dambe, southern Africa’s Nguni and Turkish Mangala game among others, these sports are rooted in cultures, history and physical exercises.
In its final declaration on Sunday, the forum ended with a commitment towards "reviving, preserving, and carrying traditional sports to their rightful position in the international arena."
"While the World Ethnosport Union aims to create an umbrella where every culture and language finds its place, it has been resolutely emphasised that the common language of this platform must be peace. Traditional sports must assume a key role in the construction of peace, fostering intercultural dialogue rather than remaining in the shadow of conflicts on a global scale," it added.
The Ethnosport Forum, organised by the World Ethnosport Union, has been held annually since 2018.
"It's been amazing seeing people from different sporting backgrounds come together to share ideas just for the betterment of the industry and to progress our sporting backgrounds and ideas as well," Sharaf Mahama, a participant from Ghana, told TRT Afrika.
The 2026 edition of the Ethnosport Forum hopes next year’s edition will combine culture and diplomacy to ensure the promotion of traditional sports.
‘Universal value’
"Ethnosports 2027 is not merely a sports event or a local festival; it is a new and holistic 'global stage' built on four main pillars: Sports, culture, experience, and diplomacy," said the forum's declaration.
"A lot of cultures meet in this forum, and it's a great opportunity for us to participate in this kind of forum. We share different opinions, different cultures, and different views, so it's really great to be here," Tseganesh Hayalu, a participant from Ethiopia, told TRT Afrika.
This forum shows that traditional sports could remain alive — as long as there are people to carry them forward.
Experts also always called for documenting and showcasing traditional sports in the media, including social media to raise awareness on the importance of traditional sports, while incorporating them into education would preserve cultural heritage and engage the youth.
Hosting local and international tournaments could attract attention and build interest global interest.
Participants urged international institutions, states, local governments, and the private sector to cooperate in implementing the decisions included in this declaration and to help keep traditional sports "alive as a universal value."
