Ulaanbaatar
Mongolians celebrating National Naadam Festival
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Mongolians across the country are gloriously
celebrating the National Naadam Holiday.
This year's National Naadam Holiday is commemorating the
2230th and 2231st anniversaries of the Foundation of the First Statehood in
Mongolia, 815th and 816th anniversaries of the establishment of the Great
Mongol Empire, 110th and 111th anniversaries of the restoration of national freedom
and independence, and 100th and 101st anniversaries of the People’s Revolution
of Mongolia.
The Naadam Festival has been traditionally opened with the
arrival of Nine White Banners to the Central Stadium, which was carried out all
the way from Sukhbaatar square.
President of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh made opening remarks at
the ceremony and paid respect to the Nine White Banners.
In his speech, the President emphasized, “The National Naadam Holiday, inherited from our ancestors, is a symbol of the existence and independence of the Mongolian state, the unity and freedom of the Mongols, their history, values, cultural heritage, spiritual heritage, and the invaluable cultural asset of humanity.”
The President also declared the issuance of a historic
decree to honor the Great Chinggis Khaan’s portrait.
“…This year marks 860th
birth anniversary of Great Chinggis Khaan who unified the many nomadic tribes
to form the world’s largest and most powerful the Great Mongol Empire and
created the Pax Mongolica, a period of peace and stability in Eurasia under the
Mongol Empire.
To glorify the Great Khaan’s historical deeds and strengthen
the valuable heritage of the State, the Head of State is issuing a historic
decree that the Mongolian state, every family and organization shall revere and
place the portrait of Great Chinggis Khaan with respect.”
The President’s speech was followed by an opening cultural performance,
which featured the Mongolian pride.
The Naadam is also locally termed ‘eriin gurvan naadam’ or ‘the
three games of men’—Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. Inscribed in
UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Naadam
Holiday is traditionally celebrated on July 11-15 every year. However, Mongolia
celebrated the holiday in an online format in 2020 and officially postponed the event in
2021 due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
