The 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival has kicked off in Istanbul. Organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation, the festival will continue for four days at Istanbul Atatürk Airport.
The event features participation from 35 countries and includes a wide range of activities such as traditional sports and games, handicrafts, culinary showcases, and performing arts.
The opening ceremony was attended by Türkiye’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Bilal Erdoğan, a general from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the Head of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, and President of the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation Elchin Guliyev, along with representatives from Azerbaijani institutions, media, and official delegations from various countries.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in front of the Khan Tent, marking the formal start of the festival.
Azerbaijan participated in the festival with a delegation of 130 people and 20 Karabakh horses, organized by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation.
At this prestigious event, which reflects the national and spiritual values of the Turkic world and welcomes thousands of visitors, a show composition titled “Victory” featured a unique performance by Karabakh horses, elegant Azerbaijani dances, enchanting national music, and performances by a newly formed orchestra prepared for 2025.
Festivalgoers were particularly impressed by the traditional “Yalli” dance performed with national instruments, Maestro Niyazi’s piece “Kaytagi,” Emin Sabitoglu’s “Ince Bellim,” Muslim Magomayev’s song “Azerbaijan,” the energetic dances by the “Serhedchi” dance ensemble, and the extraordinary horseback performance by the State Border Service’s cavalry unit riding Karabakh horses.
As part of the festival, a meeting was held between World Ethnosport Confederation President Bilal Erdoğan and Elchin Guliyev, the Head of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan and President of the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation, during which gratitude was expressed for the invitation extended by the Turkish side.
Bilal Erdoğan stated that he was pleased with the excellent performance of the Azerbaijani delegation and emphasized that the Karabakh horses, a national treasure, once again captivated the audience.
Invited to the festival, President of the “Ebedi Birlik” (Eternal Union) Youth Public Union Shahin Aliyev shared the following statement with our site:
“International festivals like this, which promote the national and spiritual heritage of the Turkic world, are of exceptional importance for strengthening unity, solidarity, and shared values. The high-level performance by the Azerbaijani delegation with Karabakh horses, along with our music and dance presentations, not only showcased the richness of our culture but also highlighted the dedication of Azerbaijani youth to these values.
As ‘Ebedi Birlik,’ we believe such events are extremely important for preserving our national identity and passing it on to future generations.
It was a great honor and responsibility for us to take part in this event and experience the common spirit of the Turkic world.
During the festival, I had the opportunity to briefly exchange ideas with World Ethnosport Confederation President Bilal Erdoğan, Head of the State Border Service Elchin Guliyev, Türkiye’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, and AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkic States Kürşad Zorlu. It was a very meaningful and unforgettable moment for me,” said Shahin Aliyev.
The Azerbaijani delegation’s performances will continue until May 25.
