National Sport – National Heritage

On March 20, a festive event titled “National Sport – National Heritage” was held at Kh. Dosmukhamedov Atyrau University as part of the National Sport Day celebrations. The event was organized by the Faculty of Innovative Education.
The aim of the event was to promote traditional Kazakh games and sports and to encourage young people to engage with these national forms of competition. The university’s leadership, faculty members, and students participated, showing their respect for traditional art and sport.
Rector Salamat Idrissov delivered the welcoming speech:
“Welcome to another event within the framework of Nauryznama, organized by the Faculty of Innovative Education! This celebration is not only about the development of national sports but also about reviving the historical spirit among young people through traditional games and fostering appreciation for our cultural heritage. In our country, national sports are receiving special attention and are rapidly developing. A prime example is the 5th World Nomad Games held last year in Astana. Our university is also home to many active young athletes who make a significant contribution to the development of traditional games. Notable among these are disciplines such as Togyzkumalak and Kazakh kures.”
During the concert segment of the event, students performed songs and decorated the stage with traditional dances, while the “Azheler” ensemble sang folk songs, earning warm applause from the audience.
The sporting part of the event featured a range of traditional Kazakh games such as asyk atu (knucklebone tossing), tug of war, togyzkumalak, Kazakh kures (Kazakh wrestling), arm wrestling, langi (a traditional kicking game), and archery. Both faculty and students took an active part in the competitions. Additionally, the traditional game “oktau tartu” was held for the first time this year and sparked great interest among students.
At the end of the event, participants enjoyed traditional Kazakh food from the festive dastarkhan, and the evening concluded with the lively “Kara Zhorga” dance.