Reviving the games of our ancestors: ICTSG’s Global Declaration marks a cultural turning point | Sports

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On August 14, 2025, while most people in the world identified the anniversary of political freedom and national pride, another kind of freedom was happening quietly, memory, heritage and freedom of identity. This was the day when the International Council of traditional Games and Sports (ICTSG) united the world to sign a historic global declaration for our traditional sports and sports protection.

It was not a stadium or a medal ceremony that explained the moment. It was a determined, unanimous voice by every continent, announcing that this game, the spirit of societies, the language of ancestors, would not be misguided. From Florida to Lahore, from Kyoto to the remote desert of Africa, a virtual thread together includes nations, cultures and people of the same purpose: to ensure that traditional sports are not only remembered, but a waterproof.

The blasphemy may ask, “Why care for ancient sports when the world is suffering from modern sports, billions of dollars and quick entertainment?” My answer is easy: Because when the traditional game disappears, a part of humanity disappears with it. A game is not just a fun. This is an event, a language, history lesson, and often, moral compass. It tells us how our ancestors resolved conflicts, celebrated the crops, or prepared for the challenges of life.

ICTSG President Khalil Ahmad Khan presented it politely: “When a game disappears, it is like a language that is no longer spoken. Its stories, values and lessons are in danger of losing forever.” That’s fine If we lose the manganese archer’s bow, senegal wrestler’s grip, a Philippine stick fighter position, or kabaddi rider’s breathing spirits, we lose the stories, songs and skills that have come with them.

Four pillars of the World Declaration

The declaration adopted that day is more than formal words. This is a blueprint working for the future.

Recognition and Leadership: ICTSG is now the only global authority to protect and celebrate traditional sports. This means a commitment to host global traditional sports and continental sports, which is like a global mega event.

World participation: Not only are governments, organizations and communities invited, but also emphasizes to participate in ICTSG measures, ensuring that restoration is not a spectacle but a living process.

Protection of Knowledge: With ICTSG Online Encyclopedia, documentary document will be made before centuries -old rules, techniques and cultural meanings expire.

Culture as a bridge: Traditional sports will be used as a tool for dialogue, peace -making and sustainable development, which will be related to the challenges of our time.

This is not an old memory. This is a strategy. In the fracture world, such cultural bridges are more valuable than ever.

A celebration that spread the world

This year’s International Day for traditional sports and sports was no ordinary observation. From the city’s remote rural villages, the tournament, dance, and the storytelling parties, from the parties to the remote rural villages. It was not just about the game, it was about remembering, sharing and passing.

The leadership of women was given special importance, in which ICTSG programs were to train women coaches, referees and cultural ambassadors. This is not a token gesture. In countless cultures, women have been the birds of rituals and sports, which ensure their survival in generations. Recognizing their role for development in the future is historically accurate and important.

Technology meets the tradition

One of the most promising developments is the embrace of modern tools to protect ICTSG. Digitalizing rules, saving videos and building interactive educational platforms will make it possible for a child to learn from Bhutan in Brazil, or a teacher in Egypt will make it possible to introduce Mongolian wrestling in the school courtyard. Technology, which is often accused of crushing culture, can still be its largest ally.

Why is this movement necessary

We live in a cultural sticky period. Universalization, all of its benefits, often converts diverse to uniforms. Distance youngsters now know the same pop songs, wear the same brands, and follow the same sports leagues – but may have never heard of the games that have shaped their grandparents’ life.

Traditional games make some offerings that cannot be modernized: more than consumption, more than loneliness, more heritage than novelty. They demand not only physical skill but also cultural understanding. They teach patience, respect for the elders, and the art of celebration of the community.

Call on action

ICTSG is now inviting leaders, teachers, players, and cultural workers to join its 50 national chapters network. This is not the job of a single organization. This is a joint responsibility. We cannot sit in vain when the date is over.

As I consider this day, I realize that the declaration is more than a policy document, this is a moral commitment. It says to the generations to come: We cared enough to remember. We cared enough to move it forward. When we revive a game, we revive a culture. We give a voice to the past and give a gift to the future. This is the actual victory of August 14, 2025.

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