Traditional sports and games (often abbreviated TSG) are physical activities which were played for centuries by people around the world before the advent of modern Western sports. Many TSGs lost popularity or died off during the colonial era due to the imposition and spread of Western sports.[1][2][3] Further decline has occurred in the post-colonial era.[4][5][6]
UNESCO promotes TSG as a form of "intangible cultural heritage", and has a dedicated TSG Advisory Committee.[7][8] Four Collective Consultation Meetings have been held so far by UNESCO, with the fourth Collective Consultation in 2018 gathering more than 82 participants from 40 countries.[9] UNESCO also played a pivotal role in founding the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) in 2018.[10]
TSG has been linked to the way in which various peoples followed religious duties and promoted social cooperation along with a better understanding of their relationship to nature;[11][12][13][14] TSG is also seen as a possible way to increase intercultural dialogue.[15][16]
^Khan, Khalil Ahmed; Tluehan, Bekbolat (2019). "UNESCO traditional sports and games". Педагогико-психологические и медико-биологические проблемы физической культуры и спорта. 14 (2 (eng)): 5–8.