A spectacular celebration that brings together the energy of movement, the richness of heritage, and the vibrancy of creative innovation

The 2025 National Recreational Sports Festival (FORNAS) VIII officially opened on Saturday evening, July 26, 2025, at the courtyard of the Governor’s Office of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) in Mataram. Running through August 1, the event began with a spectacular celebration, featuring traditional art and cultural performances from the Sasak, Samawa, and Mbojo communities. The stunning presentations captivated both participants and thousands of spectators.

The ceremony was symbolically marked by the handover of an arrow from Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Taufik Hidayat, to Arum Nazlus Shobah, a horseback archery athlete from NTB. The event was also attended by the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, and the Governor of NTB, Dr. H. Lalu Muhammad Iqbal.

This edition of FORNAS made history as the largest community sports event ever held in eastern Indonesia. Carrying the tagline "Win or Lose, Everyone is Happy," the festival serves not only as a competition but also as a space where sports, cultural expression, and the creative economy intersect.

The festival brought together 12,378 sports enthusiasts from 38 provinces, supported by 3,870 match officials and organizers, along with 74 Parent Sports Organizations (Inorga) representing 847 competition categories. In addition, 13 exhibition Inorga and 3 specially invited Inorga participated at the invitation of the Governor of NTB. More than 18,000 people gathered for the event, generating an estimated economic impact of over IDR 800 billion and creating more than 9,500 temporary jobs.

The 2025 edition featured 74 official sports disciplines, ranging from traditional games and fitness activities to martial arts and modern sports such as esports and skateboarding. In the esports category, the Indonesia Esports Association (IESPA) held competitions for popular titles including Honor of Kings, Tekken 8, and eFootball.

FORNAS also promoted cultural and environmental preservation. Local art performances, traditional NTB cuisine, and community exhibitions added vibrancy to the event. Impressively, more than 99 percent of the event's components were organized by local talent, showcasing NTB’s strong capacity to host national-scale events.

The first FORNAS took place in Jakarta in 2011 with only 25 Inorga and 5,000 participants. NTB now hosts the eighth edition, following West Java in 2023. The growth in participation and diversity highlights the growing importance of community sports in fostering unity, strengthening regional ties, and driving local economic development.

Upholding the values of sportsmanship and inclusivity, FORNAS VIII 2025 demonstrates that recreational sports can be a powerful force for national unity and a catalyst for sustainable development rooted in local culture and wisdom.

photo source: instagram.com/agusyudhoyono and instagram.com/fornasviiintb

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