There is much to appreciate in the peaceful nature of the port of Gemlik in western Turkey, especially after some time taking in the myriad sights and sounds of the World Nomad Games about 40 miles further east on the banks of Lake Iznik.
The Nomad Games have been held every two years since 2014 (with a break in 2020 due to Covid-19), based around traditional sports practiced across Central Asia and celebrating the culture of Turkic populations. What makes them special? Sultan Raev, a Kyrgyz author and secretary general of TURKSOY, a cultural organisation uniting countries with Turkic populations, describes them pithily: “They are not about physical strength. They are about spiritual endurance.”
