Ulaanbaatar, January 27, 2025 /MONTSAME/. On January 22, 2025, the winners of the “Best Mongol Calligrapher - 2024” International Contest were honored at the Exhibition of the Best Calligraphy Works, displayed at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum of Mongolia.

Organized by “Khumuun Bichig” Newspaper of MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency, the International Contest took place in eight categories, with more than 1200 participants from all corners of Mongolia, as well as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Buryatia of the Russian Federation.

In her opening remarks at the Award Ceremony, Director General of MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency Sodontogos Erdenetsogt noted, “The Award Ceremony for the “Best Mongol Calligrapher - 2024” International Contest, and the Opening Ceremony of the Exhibition of the best works auspiciously coincide with a new chapter in our history, as we reinstate the millennia-old Mongol Script for use in the public office of Mongolia.

This year, the Contest was organized in eight categories, with more than 1200 participants. Mr. S. Jigmedsuren, 102 years old, was the oldest participant of the Contest, while the youngest participants were U. Ganzaya, a first-grader at the Classical Music School of the Mongolian State Conservatory, and M. Bujlkham, a first-grader at the secondary school of Tosontsengel soum of Khuvsgul aimag.

In the category “Handcrafts,” the first place goes to J. Ariunzul, a 12th-grader at secondary school No. 34 of Khan-Uul district of Ulaanbaatar city. She demonstrated mastery of the traditional embroidery art of Mongolia, “Zuu Orookh,” Mongolian knot stitch, proving herself as a young inheritor of the art. She eloquently embroidered the ornamental folded style of the Mongol script “Ugalzan Tig” in daalin (colorful silk bags for khuurug (snuff bottle)). This is an achievement truly worthy of admiration.

Exceptional works, such as the wool yarn applique by the teachers of the Mongolian Art Center for Children’s Creativity, the Rubik’s Cube design with Mongol Script by students of “Gegee” Secondary School in Ulaanbaatar, the penmanship works with a brush by the teachers and students of “Zuun Khuree” College, who are reviving and promoting the combination of the Soyombo and Mongol scripts, and the handmade felt work by S. Bayarmunkh, a student at the Mongolian State University of Education, brought distinctive flair, novel craftsmanship and creative atmosphere to this year’s Contest.

The scope of the “Best Mongol Calligrapher” International Contest has expanded remarkably compared to previous years. Mongol Script experts and calligraphers from the Khorchin Mongols of Tongliao City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China (the PRC), the Upper Mongols in Qinghai Province of the PRC, and the “Titem Art” studio in Ulan-Ude of the Republic of Buryatia of the Russian Federation, tested their skills in this Contest, upholding its international reputation and enriching its content and composition.”

Education, Science, and Technology Policy Advisor to the President of Mongolia Lodoiravsal Choimaa delivered the greetings of President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa.

In the greetings, President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa underscored, “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency and its 33-year-old weekly newspaper “Khumuun Bichig” for successfully organizing the “Best Mongol Calligrapher” Contest for the 28th time, expanding its scope into international horizon, and for their valuable contributions to the noble cause of preserving, promoting, and passing the Mongol script and its associated culture onto future generations.

This year, the Award Ceremony of the “Best Mongol Calligrapher” International Contest, which is taking place on the eve of the Year of the Blue Snake, and which honors the winners of the Contest, bears special importance as it coincides with a historic moment of we introducing the Mongol script in public office, to be used along with the Cyrillic script.

More than forty years have passed since we began teaching the Mongol script to our children, the only vertical script in the world, a custodian of our mother tongue, a key to the Mongol mind, and a precious intellectual cultural heritage of humankind.

With the aim of honoring, disseminating, preserving, and passing on this invaluable cultural heritage, the State Great Khural of Mongolia adopted the “Law on Mongol Language” in 2015. According to this Law, starting from January 1, 2025, Mongolia began using the Mongol script in public office.

As the Head of State of Mongolia, I am satisfied with the reinstatement of Mongol script, a golden tether of the sovereign Great Mongol Empire with millennia-old history established by Great Chinggis Khaan, for official use in public services of Mongolia.

I call upon the children, youth, and citizens of Mongolia to diligently study the Mongol script, the manifestation of the centuries-long history and legacy of our statehood, the immunity of the Mongol mind and culture, and a symbol of our independent nation. Let us strive to become true masters of our cultural heritage.”

The Exhibition of the Best Calligraphy Works was displayed to the public free of charge till January 26, 2025.