Another chapter of the Wrestling for Peace 2026 Global Campaign is closed. Just hours before the opening of the U20 World Championships, the USA’s Women’s Freestyle Team and young men from two group homes gathered for an exciting wrestling outreach at the Lohyňa Wrestling Academy, owned by Slovakian wrestling legend, Jozef Lohyňa.

The world came to Baku to wrestle. Starting on July 25th, the National Gymnastics Arena was filled with the energy of the U17 World Wrestling Championships as young athletes from around the globe competed for medals, national pride, and the dream of becoming world champions. But for Wrestling for Peace, some of the most important victories in Baku happened far from the competition mat. They happened at an adaptive judo practice, at a local wrestling club, behind the scenes in cafes and corridors, and they happened when a child looked around the room and said four simple words: “This is my family.”

In September, the 2026 Wrestling For Peace Global Campaign will travel to Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan for the much anticipated World Nomad Games. This unique festival, known as “The Olympic Games of Central Asia”, will bring together athletes and cultural delegations from ninety countries to celebrate traditional nomadic sports, including wrestling disciplines such as Er Enish (horseback wrestling), Mas Wrestling (stick wrestling), and Alysh (belt wrestling).