UNICEF opens its yurt in Ethno-aul at the World Nomad Games in Astana

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Kazakhstan will set up an inclusive yurt in the Nomad Universe Ethno-Aul at the 5th World Nomad Games (WNG), which will take place in Astana from September 8 to 13, 2024. The yurt will open on September 7 as part of the WNG cultural program and will offer a variety of activities and educational programs for children and their parents, aimed at promoting inclusion and protecting children’s rights. The yurt will be located in the Altybakan children’s zone within the Ethno-Aul.

Program of activities for children

The UNICEF yurt will host daily activities for children, including handicraft workshops, board games (Bestemshe, Mancala), chess and checkers tournaments (also accessible to children with visual disabilities), and traditional games such as Assyk Atu and Togyz-Kumalak. Workshops in archery (Zhamba Atu) and Arkyn Tartu will also be available. All activities are designed to develop skills needed for social integration and cultural enrichment.

For preschoolers and schoolchildren, the yurt will offer interactive workshops where they can learn how to make traditional handicrafts (kiiz uy) and try games that combine physical activity with mental development, such as boccia. Fans of virtual reality can test their knowledge of Kazakhstan’s history in a special quest by GameLab KBTU using VR headsets. Additionally, board games, drawing, puzzles, and Jenga focused on children’s rights will be available daily.

Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan, said, “We are excited to partner with the World Nomad Games to create an inclusive and safe environment for all children. The UNICEF yurt will be a space where children can play, learn, and develop freely, and adults are reminded of the importance of children’s right to play as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We are grateful to all our partners for their support and invite everyone to our yurt.”

Special sessions are also planned for parents. UNICEF experts will conduct sessions on positive parenting and provide valuable information on how to protect children online.

All events will be held in collaboration with UNICEF partners, including the Dinara Saduakassova Chess Academy (UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Kazakhstan), Fomalhaut Public Association of People with Disabilities, World of Equal Opportunities Public Foundation, Kazakhstan Boccia Federation, GameLab KBTU (Video Games Development and Research Laboratory at the IT and Engineering School of Kazakh-British Technical University), and the Union of Fathers Public Foundation.

Nail Nurov, the Head of the Directorate of the 5th World Nomad Games, added, “We are delighted to see UNICEF as our partner with such a rich and inclusive program for all children and their parents. This gives the 5th Games a special status and highlights our nation’s family values by ensuring accessibility and safety for children.”

We invite all visitors to the World Nomad Games to visit the UNICEF yurt and be part of a unique experience that brings together tradition and modernity, inclusion, and education.

As a reminder, the UNICEF yurt will be located in the children’s zone of the Ethno-Aul. The Nomad Universe Ethno-Aul is situated on the grounds next to the Kazanat Hippodrome in the capital city. The Ethno-Aul will be open from September 7 to 13, from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Admission is free.

For more information and a full schedule of activities at the UNICEF yurt, please visit the official UNICEF website or follow updates on UNICEF Kazakhstan’s social media accounts (Instagram).

Note for Editors

Download the video “Play as a Nomad”: Link to Video

UNICEF is committed to ensuring the rights and welfare of every child. In collaboration with our partners, we operate in 190 countries and territories to turn this commitment into action. Our efforts are concentrated on the most vulnerable children to improve the lives of all children globally.

More Information:

More details about UNICEF activities: UNICEF Kazakhstan
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

For more information, please contact:

Elvira Yausheva, UNICEF in Kazakhstan
Tel: +7 778 021 19 12,
Email: eyausheva@unicef.org