Kyrgyzstan is preparing for one of its busiest days in years. August 31 marks the 35^th anniversary of the country’s independence, a day which will also see the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games. Meanwhile, leaders from the SCO’s ten member states, including Russia, China, India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, are also expected in Bishkek for a summit.

The overlap is partly by design. Organizers say the World Nomad Games opening ceremony will be staged at Bishkek Arena on August 31, alongside the SCO summit program, ahead of the stadium’s formal opening later in September. The new stadium is designed for 51,000 spectators. The formal SCO Council of Heads of State meeting is scheduled for September 1. A detailed public timetable for the summit has not yet been issued.

Presidential spokesman Askat Alagozov has said 21 heads of state are expected in Kyrgyzstan during this period, with several also making state visits. The World Nomad Games ceremony will include a parade of participating teams and a short concert program in front of the visiting leaders.

Independence Day itself remains set for August 31. President Sadyr Japarov has instructed organizers to hold concerts and entertainment across the regions that day. The main state celebration of the 35th anniversary, however, will take place in Talas on September 11 and 12, which had already been selected to host the program before the August schedule took shape.

Dancers perform during a previous Independence Day celebration in Bishkek. Photo: Stephen M. Bland/TCA.

Bishkek is preparing for the movement restrictions that come with diplomatic gatherings. Alagozov asked residents, where possible, to spend August 30, August 31, and September 1 at Issyk-Kul or elsewhere. “Otherwise, the inconvenience will affect you first of all, because roads in the city will be frequently closed for three days,” he said. September 1 will be a paid day off for employees of state and municipal institutions in the capital, with private employers advised to make similar arrangements.

City Hall began planning well in advance. In October 2025, Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev called for a single operational protocol covering public transport, restrictions, fan zones, and other logistics. “Our main goal is to create comprehensive infrastructure and ensure a high international standard for these events,” he said. The city has since been preparing fan zones so residents and visitors can follow the main programs away from secured venues.

Health and emergency planning has followed the same approach. Kyrgyzstan has already held public-health exercises ahead of the Games. The Ministry of Health said on August 10 that more than 600 medical workers are expected to support the SCO and World Nomad Games. Medical posts, strengthened ambulance teams, and a mobile hospital are planned at event sites.

The World Nomad Games are familiar territory for Kyrgyzstan. The country staged the first three editions in 2014, 2016, and 2018, before the event moved to Turkey in 2022 and Kazakhstan in 2024. Its return to Kyrgyzstan has grown into a much larger operation. Organizers now expect around 3,000 athletes from 113 countries, with competitions across 43 sports, and around 100,000 guests over the Games, which run through to September 6.

Participants at the fifth World Nomad Games in Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2024. Photo: Stephen M. Bland/TCA.

Following the Bishkek opening, the Games will shift east to Issyk-Kul. The official calendar lists the first competitions and cultural events in Cholpon Ata from noon on September 1. Logistical instructions received by The Times of Central Asia direct accredited journalists and athletes toward organized transfers to Cholpon Ata. There are currently no scheduled commercial flights between Bishkek and Issyk-Kul.

The move places the main international sporting program in a compact resort city at the height of the summer season. Cholpon Ata had a permanent population of about 26,600 at the start of 2025, after its administrative boundaries were expanded. It is accustomed to large seasonal visitor numbers, but the Games will add athletes, officials, media, cultural delegations, and spectators to the regular flow around Issyk-Kul. The media operation alone is sizeable, with more than 600 domestic and international media representatives expected.

Cholpon Ata on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul, where most World Nomad Games events will take place. Photo: Stephen M. Bland/TCA.

Transport work has therefore concentrated on the northern shore of the lake as well as the capital. A new four-lane, 15.64-kilometer bypass is being built around Cholpon Ata to reduce congestion. Roads toward Kyrchyn and other Games locations have also been under reconstruction. Manas International Airport and Issyk-Kul International Airport at Tamchy have also undergone upgrades as part of preparations for the events.

Tickets for the opening ceremony went on sale on August 11 through Kyrgyzstan’s government ticketing platform. The World Nomad Games program lists the opening ceremony at Bishkek Arena for 5 p.m. on August 31. The organizing committee told The Times of Central Asia on August 12 that most competitions will be free to attend, while separate ticketing may be introduced for kok-boru and kokpar. Tickets for the closing ceremony are yet to be released.

Kyrgyzstan has chosen to use the opening of the World Nomad Games as part of a wider international showcase. The SCO brings leaders to Bishkek as the country marks independence, before the Games move to the landscape where they began. Much of the transport, security, medical, and city planning is already visible, while further details of the SCO summit program are still expected.