Kyrgyzstan Opens Sixth World Nomad Games as Leaders Gather in Bishkek
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Kyrgyzstan opened the sixth World Nomad Games at the new Bishkek Arena on August 31, drawing around 30,000 spectators. The opening ceremony preceded a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit that brought more than a dozen foreign leaders to Bishkek. The Games run through September 6.
Key Facts
- The sixth World Nomad Games opened at Bishkek Arena on August 31 with around 30,000 spectators.
- The Games run through September 6 and are being covered by The Times of Central Asia from Bishkek and Issyk-Kul.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were among the leaders in attendance.
- Bishkek Arena is not formally due to open until October 5, though it hosted the ceremony while construction continued.
Opening Ceremony
The opening took place at the new Bishkek Arena on the southwestern edge of the capital near the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range. Around 30,000 spectators attended the ceremony, while the stadium will eventually hold more than 51,000. The Games opened while work on the arena was still underway, with parts of the building looking unfinished. In the weeks before the ceremony, horses had circled the arena floor during rehearsals while drilling continued around them.
Concert and Performances
Before the formal ceremony, Kyrgyzstan staged a concert featuring many of its best-known performers, including Bayastan, Malika Dina, Erlan Andashev, and Begish. Veteran singer Baktiyar Toktorov received the loudest reaction when he performed “Yza,” known for its “Bui-Bui” refrain. Spectators rose from their seats and sang along, and even some security guards joined in. The new stadium showed early teething problems, with concession stands running out of bottled water and food as crowds built.
Dignitaries and Summit
After the concert, the audience waited around 90 minutes while footage of arriving dignitaries played on giant screens. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko were among those in the stands. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan also attended, along with leaders and senior officials from elsewhere in Asia, the Caucasus, and Africa. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was among the international guests.
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Kyrgyzstan Opens Sixth World Nomad Games as Leaders Gather in Bishkek
