Objectives

In today’s world youth policies and sports have become important instruments of our lives. They have the power to change the lives of people, especially the youth if true mechanisms are to be generated. Effective youth and sport policies have the power to successfully integrate the youth from all walks of life into society and bring hope to communities with their huge transformative and constructive capacity and their ability to heal some problems that our society faces today.  

The OTS Member States, having a sizable young population in their respective countries, have emphasized the importance of policies on Youth and Sport considering their educational, cultural and economic role and initiated a cooperation process in this field in 2015. The Organization of Turkic States Secretariat has placed much emphasis on Youth and Sports activities and tried to realize various projects in this field. So far, eight meetings of the Ministers in charge of Youth and Sports were held.

Mechanisms

Through various mechanisms – such as regular Ministerial and Working Group Meetings, Young Entrepreneurs and Leaders Forums, World Nomad Games, Turkic Universiade (University Sports Games), Youth Volunteering Educational and Multilateral Youth Exchange Programs – the OTS is driving youth and sports cooperation in line with the key strategic documents "Turkic World Vision - 2040" and the "OTS Strategy for 2022-2026".

Ministerial Meetings

The 8^th Meeting of the Ministers in Charge of Youth and Sports of the Organization of Turkic States was convened on 9 September 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Ministers restated their commitment to the common Turkic youth and sports agenda and underlined the importance of the work done in line with the cooperation framework of the OTS in this direction. Highlighting the great impact of the common projects on the unity of the Turkic youth and sports, Ministers showed solidarity in supporting the valuable developments that bolster the ties among the brotherly nations and extended their full support for the deepening of the ongoing cooperation with new initiatives and projects. The Ministers reached a common understanding to systematize and streamline the youth and sports events with a view to ensure their efficiency. On the margins of the Ministerial meeting, the Ministers welcomed the initiative of Uzbekistan on the establishment of the Turkic Creative Youth Encouragement Center, as well as the initiative of the Turkish side on the establishment of the Sports Agency under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkic States with its headquarters in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Ministers also agreed that the 9^th Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Youth and Sports of the OTS will be convened in Uzbekistan in 2025.

World Nomad Games

The 1^st World Nomad Games, organized in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States and the Kyrgyz Government in 2014, brought together more than 400 athletes from 19 countries gathered on the shores of prominent lake Issyk-Kul. The 2^nd  Games were staged in 2016 attended by 62 countries and over 1400 athletes. The 3^rd  World Nomad Games were organized by the Kyrgyz Government in 2018 in Issyk-Kul. Around 2000 athletes from 82 countries competed in 37 sports branches.

The 4^th edition of the World Nomad Games was organized in Iznik, Bursa in 2022. The games hosted over 40 competitions across three main categories – horse riding, wrestling and archery. More than 3,000 traditional athletes from over 102 countries are participated in the four-day event organized by the World Ethnosport Confederation and inaugurated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The Organization of Turkic States has been giving strong support, including contributing and taking part in the preparatory process for the organization of the World Nomad Games.

The 5^th World Nomad Games was successfully hosted by the Republic of Kazakhstan on 8-13 September 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan and served as a magnificent start for ethnosports tournament engaging athletes from more than 80 countries.

Projects

Today more than 40% of the population of our Member States of the Organization of Turkic States is composed of young people. Therefore, our organization is committed to fostering an environment, where young people can come together to share their ideas, experiences and aspirations.

Youth Volunteering Educational Program

This Program aims to foster a spirit of unity and understanding through comprehensive education and training in leadership, project management, and intercultural communication, which is essential for the continued growth and prosperity of our youth and nations.

Multilateral Youth Exchange Program

Multilateral Youth Exchange Program helps to raise awareness among young people about our historical ties, common language, culture and traditions, to bring them together in a common vision of the future, as well as developing good relations and strengthening existing friendships between countries and societies.

Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum

This Forum encourages the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, showcasing the creativity and resilience of our young business leaders, as well as inspires and empowers the next generation of leaders, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate and shape our increasingly complex world.