ASTANA – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Kazakhstan will launch an inclusive yurt in the Nomad Universe Ethno-Aul as part of the fifth World Nomad Games cultural program on Sept. 7, reported the organization’s press service.
The yurt will offer a variety of activities and educational programs for children and parents, promoting inclusion and children’s rights. Daily activities will include handicraft workshops, board games like bestemshe and mancala, and chess and checkers tournaments, accessible to children with visual disabilities. Traditional games such as asyk atu (a board game with bones of a knee sheep joint) and togyzkumalak (nine pebbles board game), along with workshops in archery (zhamby atu) and arkan tartys (tug-of-war), will also be available, all designed to foster social integration and cultural enrichment.
For preschoolers and schoolchildren, interactive workshops will teach them to make traditional handicrafts and offer games that combine physical and mental development, such as boccia. Virtual reality enthusiasts can explore Kazakhstan’s history through a special quest designed by the Video Games Development and Research Laboratory at the Kazakh-British Technical University, using VR headsets.
“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 while reminding adults of the importance of children’s right to play, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child,” said Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan.
UNICEF experts will also offer sessions on positive parenting and provide valuable information on online child protection, specially designed for parents.
“We are delighted to have UNICEF as our partner, offering such a rich and inclusive program for children and parents. This gives the Fifth Games a special status and highlights our nation’s family values by ensuring accessibility and safety for children,” Nail Nurov, the head of the directorate for the preparation and organization of the WNG.
The yurt will be located in the Altybakan children’s zone within the Ethno-Aul and will operate from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
