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

On 14 August 2025, while much of the world marked the anniversaries of political independence and national pride, another kind of liberation was quietly taking place, the liberation of memory, heritage, and identity. This was the day the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) brought the world together to sign a historic Global Declaration to protect the living treasures of humanity: our traditional sports and games.

It was not a stadium roar or a medal ceremony that defined this moment. It was the resolute, unanimous voices from every continent, declaring that these games, the soul of communities, the language of ancestors, will not fade into oblivion. From Florida to Lahore, from Kyoto to the remote deserts of Africa, a virtual thread stitched together nations, cultures, and people with a single purpose: to ensure that traditional sports are not just remembered, but reborn.

The cynic might ask, “Why care about ancient games when the world is obsessed with modern sports, billion-dollar leagues, and instant entertainment?” My answer is simple: because when a traditional game disappears, a part of humanity disappears with it. A game is not just a pastime; it is a ceremony, a language, a history lesson, and often, a moral compass. It tells us how our forefathers solved conflicts, celebrated harvests, or prepared for life’s challenges.

ICTSG President H.E. Khalil Ahmed Khan put it poignantly: “When a sport disappears, it is like a language no longer spoken. Its stories, values, and lessons risk being lost forever.” He is right. If we lose the Mongolian archer’s bow, the Senegalese wrestler’s grip, the Filipino stick-fighter’s stance, or the kabaddi raider’s breath-holding sprint, we lose the stories, songs, and skills that came with them.

The Four Pillars of the Global Declaration

The Declaration adopted on this day is more than ceremonial words; it is a working blueprint for the future.

Recognition and Leadership: ICTSG is now the sole global authority for safeguarding and celebrating traditional sports. This means a commitment to hosting World Traditional Games and Continental Games with the same prestige as global mega-events.

Global Participation: Governments, organizations, and communities are not just invited but urged to take part in ICTSG initiatives, ensuring that revival is not a one-off spectacle but a living process.

Knowledge Preservation: With the ICTSG Online Encyclopedia, centuries-old rules, techniques, and cultural meanings will be documented before they vanish.

Culture as a Bridge: Traditional sports will be used as a tool for dialogue, peacebuilding, and sustainable development, making the games relevant to the challenges of our time.

This is not nostalgia. It is strategy. In a fractured world, such cultural bridges are more valuable than ever.

A Celebration that Spanned the Globe

This year’s International Day for Traditional Sports and Games was no ordinary observance. From bustling city squares to remote rural villages, communities celebrated with tournaments, dances, and storytelling sessions. It was not only about playing, it was about remembering, sharing, and passing on.

Women’s leadership was given special prominence, with new ICTSG programs to train female coaches, referees, and cultural ambassadors. This is no token gesture. In countless cultures, women have been the keepers of rituals and games, ensuring their survival across generations. Recognizing their role is both historically accurate and crucial for future growth.

Technology Meets Tradition

One of the most promising developments is ICTSG’s embrace of modern tools for preservation. Digitizing rules, archiving videos, and building interactive educational platforms will make it possible for a child in Brazil to learn a game from Bhutan, or a teacher in Egypt to introduce Mongolian wrestling in a schoolyard. Technology, often blamed for eroding culture, may yet become its greatest ally.

Why This Movement is Urgent

We live in an age of cultural flattening. Globalization, for all its benefits, often replaces the diverse with the uniform. Young people in distant lands now know the same pop songs, wear the same brands, and follow the same sports leagues – but may never have heard of the games that shaped their grandparents’ lives.

Traditional sports offer something the modern spectacle cannot: participation over consumption, connection over isolation, heritage over novelty. They demand not only physical skill but also cultural understanding. They teach patience, respect for elders, and the art of community celebration.

The Call to Action

The ICTSG is now inviting leaders, educators, athletes, and cultural workers to join its network of 50 national chapters. This is not the work of a single organization; it is a shared responsibility. We cannot sit idle while history fades.

As I reflect on this day, I realize the Declaration is more than a policy document, it is a moral commitment. It says to future generations: We cared enough to remember. We cared enough to pass it on. When we revive a game, we revive a culture. We give a voice to the past and a gift to the future. That is the true victory of 14 August 2025.

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