Ulaanbaatar
XVIII Annual Mongolian Studies Conference Takes Place
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar, February 10, 2026 /MONTSAME/. The Embassy of Mongolia to the United States of America and the Mongolian Cultural Center co-organized the XVIII Annual Mongolian Studies Conference at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and the Library of Congress on February 6-7, 2026.
The annual
gathering brings together a total of 30 scholars, researchers, and experts from
the University of Montana University, Columbia University, University of
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, North Carolina State University,
College of William & Mary, East Tennessee State University, Yale
University, the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS), the Chinggis
Khaan National Museum, the Mongolian State University of Education and the
Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture.
In his opening
remarks, Ambassador Batbayar Ulziidelger said that Mongol studies serve as
a vital bridge for presenting Mongolia and the Mongolian people to the
international community in a more accurate and academically grounded manner. He
expressed appreciation for the valuable contributions made by conference
organizers, Mongolists working at universities, and independent researchers of Mongol studies in promoting Mongolia’s rich history, cultural heritage, and
traditions in the United States. He also emphasized that the role and
participation of U.S.-based Mongolists are crucial to the development of Mongol
studies.
The conference
featured panel sessions on topics including “Mongolian History,” “Linguistics,”
“Culture and Arts,” “Archaeology,” and “Society”. The keynote address was
delivered by renowned Mongolist scholar Professor Christopher Atwood of the
University of Pennsylvania, who presented a paper entitled “The Secret History
of the Mongols’ Little Brother: The Campaigns of Chinggis Khan, Its Tangled
Fate and Its Significance,” followed by a discussion.
Participants also visited the Asian Division of the Library of Congress, where they were introduced to rare books and works related to Mongolia. Approximately 100 people took part in the conference, according to the Embassy of Mongolia to the United States.
