Youth Parliament champions traditional sports revival in Nizhny Novgorod
The Youth Parliament recently gathered outside its usual venue to tackle key issues in sports and youth engagement. On March 23, members met at the Sokkombank Arena stadium in Nizhny Novgorod to discuss regional sports development, interethnic cooperation, and turning policy agreements into real-world action.
A major focus of the meeting was reviving traditional national sports across the Nizhny Novgorod region and the wider Volga Federal District. Dmitry Kabaylo, the regional sports minister, outlined ongoing efforts to promote 12 traditional disciplines, including wrestling, archery, and combat sports. These activities are already being supported in four neighbouring regions: Chuvashia, Mari El, Udmurtia, and Kirov.
Nikita Kasyanov, a Youth Parliament member, put forward two new initiatives to boost participation. He proposed a Workers' Sports Spartakiad for adults over 18 and a large-scale traditional sports festival for those aged 12 and above, both planned for June. The aim is to make these sports more accessible to wider age groups. The discussions also covered interethnic unity and collaboration with young people from North Ossetia–Alania. Yevgeny Lyulin, the regional parliament speaker, stressed the need for youth leaders to take an active role in developing sports within their communities. He called for greater responsibility in ensuring traditional sports thrive among younger generations.
The meeting concluded with a clear push for practical steps in sports promotion and regional cooperation. Traditional disciplines will now receive further support, while new events in June aim to engage more participants. Authorities also reaffirmed their commitment to working with North Ossetia–Alania and other regions on shared youth initiatives.
