On Saturday the 11th of August (10.00 – 16.00), the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography is organising the first Festival of Traditional Games at the Romulus Vuia National Park. The event will give visitors the opportunity to learn and participate in simple traditional games from around the world. The event is supported by British Council Romania which is holding language learning activities for children, Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca which is providing volunteers for the event, and SC PITECHAPPS Ltd which is providing sponsorship for this event.
Practicing sport without discrimination in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play is the true meaning of the Olympic spirit. This family festival aims to celebrate these values with visitors of all ages in celebration of the 2012 London Olympics.
Event-coordinator, Camilla Rooney, has organised a large number of volunteer projects for the University of Liverpool, Liverpool Young Tate, Trafo Cultural Centre and Merlin Theatre in Budapest, Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi and Vietnamese Museum of Women (Vietnam), and, starting this year, has been initiating cultural projects in partnership with the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography.
Enthusiasm for sports is echoed throughout the world, especially in these simple traditional games which are created and played by children. The rules and materials are often simple, allowing visitors of all ages to take part equally. Visitors may be surprised to discover similarities between games from across the world. For example, the Indonesian game “Lompat Tali” is almost identical to “French Skipping’ and the Cambodian game “Tres” shares a lot in common with our own “Jacks.”
The festival will include games from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Cambodia, England and Romania will be held simultaneously for visitors to enjoy freely in the beautiful, green surroundings of Romulus Vuia National Park.
The games are coordinated by volunteers from Centrul de Voluntariat, who will explain the rules and will keep score to allow participants to compete in the spirit of fair play.
We invite all those interested in traditional games, good fun and friendly competition to join us on Saturday the 11th of August between 10.00 – 16.00 at the Romulus Vuia National Park.