Eva Cathrine Thesen appointed acting secretary general of World Archery Europe - World Archery

At the beginning of September 2026, the world’s most unique multi-sport event took place in Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. The biennial World Nomad Games attracts traditional sports athletes from nomadic and non-nomadic cultures alike – with a traditional archery competition at the heart of it. This year, Kyrgyzstan played host for the fourth time. More than 3,000 athletes and delegates from 106 countries participated across 40 sport disciplines, spread across nine different locations. Beginning in 2014 as a gathering of 19 countries, a grand ambition has long been part of it, both as as a unifying project for the region and a projection of soft power. The Games’ most famous and eye-catching event is kok-buru, a ferocious equestrian sport played with a goat carcass, but archery has long been a part of the nomadic cultures celebrated and was prominent in the buildup. By far the most visible part of the competition worldwide was was the spectacular opening ceremony, held in a brand new arena in the capital Bishkek, featuring hundreds of horses ridden in formation and seen on countless social media feeds around the world.