With much pageantry, September 8 saw Astana host the opening ceremony of the 5^th World Nomad Games, themed as the “Gathering of the Great Steppe.” A procession of singers and dancers in tall white telpek hats and flowing red and gold robes opened proceedings, marrying modern beats to traditional music. This fusion of the ancient and the present was a key theme running through the entire event.

With the melodies building to crescendo, the flag-waving crowd lifted their torches aloft, chanting “Kazakhstan,” before the national anthem peeled out from the stage.

With 89 countries participating in this edition, the parade of athletes followed, each nation led forth by a white steed and a woman in a traditional, sparkling costume. From the hundreds representing the Kyrgyz Republic – a perennial champion at the World Nomad Games – to far smaller contingents, such as the three representatives from Benin, each nation was afforded their moment in the spotlight. Last, but far from least, the athletes from Kazakhstan emerged to a huge roar of appreciation.

Taking to the podium with the keynote address, President Tokayev told the crowd Kazakhstan is “known to everyone as a land of peace and coexistence. The games, he stated, are a “great event on a global scale… Nomadic civilization has left a deep mark on world history. The new technologies they developed provided the impetus for global progress. Five thousand years ago, nomads domesticated the horse and shaped a horseback riding culture that spread across the world… Serving as a bridge between East and West, nomads played a crucial role in the rapprochement of various cultures.

“The great nomadic life will never cease to exist,” Tokayev concluded. “Even amid globalization, the nomadic lifestyle that existed for a thousand years is reviving and taking a new shape. Modern nomads are making efforts to reclaim a central place in history. We are moving and traveling easily all over the world in search of education and job opportunities.”

First Deputy Prime Minister, Roman Sklyar took the opportunity to emphasize that in the wake of unprecedented floods, the nation had grasped this moment to show “resilience in our commitment to our traditions.” Respect and solidarity were at the core of his address, whilst without naming specific conflicts which continue to cast a long shadow over the region, Skylar stated that there can be “no peace without unity.”

Specifically mentioning the conflict in Gaza, the son of Turkey’s President, Bilal Erdogan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation echoed these sentiments, remarking that the games represent the “bonds of unity that the world needs today more than ever.”

Also in attendance at the event hosted by President Tokayev were the President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedow, the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Aisen Nikolayev, and the former president of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar.

Dazzling visuals marked the end of the ceremony, as trapeze artists pirouetted through the air, Dimash Qudaibergen serenaded the audience, and wolves, camels and eagles took center stage.