The Institute for Hungarian Studies attended the International Ethnosport Forum. The keynote speakers of the forum held in Tashkent were the following: Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan (Turkey), President of World Ethnosport Confederation; Bekbolat Tleukhan (Kazakhstan), President of the Kokpar World Association; Bahodir Makhsitov (Uzbekistan), President of Sports Veterans of Uzbekistan; Nabijon Yuraev (Uzbekistan), President of the Ulaq-Cupkar Federation of Uzbekistan, Vice President of the Kokpar World World Association.

Representing Hungary, István Bencze, Vice President of the Kokpar World Association congratulated Uzbekistan and the Uzbek sports leaders for their tremendous efforts and achievements undertaken for the benefit of the Uzbek ethnosport. Mr Bencze congratulated Uzbekistan for the exemplary legislation adopted in the field of equestrian education and state support for ethnosports, in line with the declaration of the World Federation of Ethnosports 3rd Forum in Antalya.

István Bencze informed the participants about the foundation of the Hungarian Ethnosport Association, which brings together the 10 biggest clubs in the field of kokpar, archery, horse riding and equestrian tourism. This year there were 4 ethnosport events organised; three ethnosport competitions were organised in Hungary and the fourth international event was the III International Kokpar and Ethnosport Championship.

We were highly delighted that our Uzbek colleagues and friends, Nabijan Dzhurayev and Erkin Abzalov, as well as the delegation of the Turkish Traditional Archery Federation led by Zafer Metin Atas and Cüneyt Öztan also participated at the event.

For the first time in Europe, our Uzbek colleagues announced in Hungary that a presidential decision was adopted declaring that the Uzbek government will provide state-level support for ethnosports and equestrian tourism. We hope that the tripartite agreement concluded in Hungary by the Hungarian Ethnosport Federation, the Uzbek Ethnosport Federation and the Hungarian Equestrian Tourism Federation will professionally contribute to the promotion of ethnosport in Uzbekistan.

“Since ethnosport is not only a sport, but also a way of expressing the culture and identity of a nation, the Hungarian Ethnosport Association works in close cooperation with the Institute for Hungarian Studies. Director-General Gábor Horváth-Lugossy provides for the scientific research background that complements the practical work of our Association. We are confident that the cooperation agreement prepared by our Uzbek colleagues with the Institute for Hungarian Studies will be signed soon, so that we can work together with Uzbek universities and scientists in the future. Thank you for your attention, I wish all colleagues good health and good work!”- said … in his speech.

Director-General Gábor Horváth-Lugossy confirmed that European and Asian countries can rely on the scientific background and the new scientific results of the Institute for Hungarian Studies in the field of scientific cooperation between European and Asian countries.