Who Approves Traditional Games? Traditional sports and games (TSG) are a vital part of our intangible cultural heritage. But how do these ancestral games move from being informally played to globally recognized? The process of approval, documentation, and elevation involves a combination of cultural, academic, and institutional frameworks. 🌍 Global Bodies That Recognize Traditional Games Several international institutions play a central role in the recognition and elevation of traditional sports:

ICTSG – International Council of Traditional Sports and Games: The ICTSG is a globally recognized organization that works to identify, document, and elevate traditional sports through a structured framework. Visit ICTSG Website UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: UNESCO lists traditional games under the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” Recognition is based on documentation, community value, and intergenerational transmission.  National Ministries of Culture and Sports: In many countries, official recognition starts locally through cultural preservation departments or ministries of sports. Academic and Research Institutions: Universities, ethnographic research centers, and historians contribute greatly by validating the history, evolution, and relevance of a traditional game.

🔍 What Does “Approval” Actually Mean? Approval refers to a structured acknowledgment of a traditional game as:

A culturally valuable asset Rooted in a specific ethnic or regional identity Passed down through oral tradition or practice Eligible for documentation, promotion, and global visibility

ICTSG provides a six-stage Elevation Framework, starting from endangered wisdom (SEWEN) to globally institutionalized legacies (SOLAY). Learn more at the ICTSG Elevation Framework. 🏛️ The ICTSG Approval Process The ICTSG offers a transparent process to help bodies, communities, or individuals get their traditional games approved and elevated:

Submit your sport with documentation: history, cultural value, current form The ICTSG Sports Review Committee evaluates its authenticity, uniqueness, and heritage relevance If eligible, it is included in the Elevation Framework and may be nominated for international recognition ICTSG collaborates with the Research Commission and the Advisory Council to assign status

Want to begin your game’s recognition journey? Contact ICTSG. 📈 Benefits of Official Recognition

Eligibility for international promotion, preservation funding, and festivals Inclusion in global cultural indices Boosts national identity and youth participation Strengthens global knowledge of indigenous culture and sport diplomacy

🧭 Related Links and Resources

View Recognized Sports History of ICTSG UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage

🌐 Aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals ICTSG and its recognition system align with several United Nations SDGs, including:

SDG 4: Quality Education through knowledge transmission SDG 5: Gender Equality in inclusive game preservation SDG 10: Reducing Inequality by elevating underserved communities SDG 11: Sustainable Cities through cultural continuity SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

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About ICTSG: The International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and revitalizing traditional sports and games as powerful tools for education, peace, and sustainable development.

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