European Youth olympic Festival kicks off in Trabzon

The 11th European Youth Olympic Festival kicked off in Trabzon on Sunday with a colorful ceremony attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The festival opening marks the first time Turkey is hosting an Olympic-style event. Some 2,500 athletes from 49 countries are taking part in the weeklong sports extravaganza, featuring basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, judo, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, and track and field events. There will also be social, cultural and art events on the festival's sidelines. In addition to Erdogan, also attending Sunday's opening ceremony were Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kilic, Urban Planning and Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar, Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazici, and Youth and Sport Directorate head Yunus Akgul, as well other top government and business leaders. Erdogan said at the ceremony that Turkey wants to host more international sporting events.