The multisport tournament Games of the Future has
kicked off in Astana. Kazakhstan is hosting the event for the first time,
bringing together traditional sports and digital technologies. President Kassym-Jomart
Tokayev addressed the opening ceremony. Phygital sports are now practiced in
more than 115 countries. Over the next 12 days, more than 800 top athletes from
34 countries will compete in phygital football, basketball, martial arts,
shooter games, dance competitions, as well as Dota 2 and Mobile Legends
tournaments. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to attend the Games.
Hosting the event is expected to boost event tourism and help strengthen
Kazakhstan's image on the global stage.
«I believe we’re going to have, in terms of production
value and execution, excellent, excellent games. And I'm proud to be associated
with my counterparts, the local organizers, and the Ministry of Tourism and
Sports, partnering and delivering such a wonderful event here in Kazakhstan. And
I think phygital has a wonderful future in Kazakhstan,» said Dan Merkley, CEO of Phygital International.
Astana is also hosting the World Phygital Summit, one of the key events of
the Games of the Future program. The summit has brought together heads of
relevant ministries from Kazakhstan, the UAE, Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan,
and Belarus, along with representatives of international organizations and
technology companies. Experts are discussing the lasting legacy of the
tournament. They believe such competitions drive the development of IT
solutions, accelerate infrastructure modernization, and create new opportunities
for the creative industries. In their view, the phygital format helps attract
young people to sports through a familiar digital environment. This is paving
the way for a new generation of athletes, for whom technology and traditional
sports are part of a new culture.
«Uzbekistan
and Kazakhstan are moving forward together in the field of artificial
intelligence, reflecting strong support from the leaders of both countries.
Today, we live in the era of digital natives - a generation that has grown up
with technology from an early age. We must keep pace with this trend, meet
their expectations and aspirations, and stay at the forefront of developments
in information technology,» said Adkham Ikramov, Minister of
Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
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