Traditional sports and games

[9] UNESCO played a pivotal role in founding the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) in 2018.

Khalil Ahmed Khan was appointed as the president, and the 14th of August being declared the International Day of Traditional Sports and Games.

[15][16] During the colonial era, resistance to and influence from Western sports resulted in the standardization and introduction of organized competition for several traditional South Asian games such as kabaddi.

For example, Joseph Strutt in 1801 wrote that "In order to form a just estimation of the character of any particular people, it is absolutely necessary to investigate the Sports and Pastimes most generally prevalent among them.

This festival aligns with UNESCO's efforts to safeguard traditional sports and games, highlighting their cultural importance globally.

Kabaddi , a traditional Indian game which has become increasingly popular around the world.
Sepak takraw , a traditional Southeast Asian sport, being played at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korea .