Latest news with #NaadamFestival
NHK
3 days ago
- NHK
Japanese Emperor, Empress end their 8-day visit to Mongolia
Japan's Imperial couple have completed the main events of their eight-day official visit to Mongolia. On Saturday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrived at a horse racing venue about 40 kilometers from the capital Ulaanbaatar. Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife were there to welcome them. Horse racing is one of the main events of the Naadam traditional sports festival. They attended the festival's opening ceremony in the capital the previous day. More than 100 horses ridden by children as jockeys race through a 22-kilometer grassland course. The event symbolizes the tradition of Mongolians as nomads on horseback. Later, the couple visited the Hustai National Park to see the oldest species of wild horse known as Takhi. The animal was once declared extinct in wild in the 1960s but is being reintroduced to its natural habitat. After the visit, the Emperor shared with reporters his thoughts on what he experienced in Mongolia. He said it was a week of pleasant exposure to Mongolia's rich history, culture and beautiful natural surroundings. He also said he met youth who are interested in Japan and eager to deepen their understanding of the country. He said some of them expressed a desire to visit or stay in Japan to study. He said he felt their passions for Japan. The Imperial couple are due to depart Mongolia on Sunday.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Jaishankar
New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed happiness after the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' were officially inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list. These military landscapes, developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, feature extraordinary fortification systems that showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, 'Delighted that 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' has been inscribed in @UNESCO #WorldHeritage list. Developed between the 17th & 19th centuries, the extraordinary fortification systems showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems as well as India's rich civilizational legacy.' In a remarkable decision taken at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India's official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 44th property to receive this recognition. This global accolade celebrates India's enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity, the Ministry of Culture said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, lauded the historic milestone and congratulated the people of India for this achievement. The proposal was sent to the consideration of World Heritage Committee in Jan 2024 and after a rigorous eighteen-month long process involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and visit of ICOMOS's mission to review the sites, this historic decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee today evening at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. On Friday, Jaishankar offered warm wishes as Mongolia begins the celebrations of the Naadam Festival. In a post on X, he greeted his Mongolian counterpart and offered wishes to the Government and people of Mongolia. He expressed optimism in the India-Mongolia relationship spanning across areas such as economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties and hoped for them to continue flourishing. EAM wrote on X, 'Warm greetings FM Battsetseg Batmunkh, the Government and people of Mongolia on 'Naadam Festival' celebrations. May our economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties continue to flourish and enrich our strategic partnership.' Naadam is a national festival celebrated every year from July 11 to 13 across Mongolia that focuses on three traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery, as noted by UNESCO Intangible Heritage. UNESCO has recognised it as an intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO intangible heritage observed that the festival comprises oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khoomei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance and Morin khuur fiddle. Mongolians follow special rituals and practices during the festival, such as wearing unique costumes and using distinctive tools and sporting items. Festival participants revere the sportsmen, sportswomen, and children who compete, and winners are rewarded titles for their achievements. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
Jaishankar offers warm wishes to Mongolian FM on Naadam Festival
New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday offered warm wishes as Mongolia begins the celebrations of the Naadam Festival. In a post on X, he greeted his Mongolian counterpart and offered wishes to the Government and people of Mongolia. He expressed optimism in the India-Mongolia relationship spanning across areas such as economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties and hoped for them to continue flourishing. EAM wrote on X, 'Warm greetings FM Battsetseg Batmunkh, the Government and people of Mongolia on 'Naadam Festival' celebrations. May our economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties continue to flourish and enrich our strategic partnership.' Naadam is a national festival celebrated every year from July 11 to 13 across Mongolia that focuses on three traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery, as noted by UNESCO Intangible Heritage. UNESCO has recognised it as an intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO intangible heritage observed that the festival comprises oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khoomei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance and Morin khuur fiddle. Mongolians follow special rituals and practices during the festival, such as wearing unique costumes and using distinctive tools and sporting items. Festival participants revere the sportsmen, sportswomen, and children who compete, and winners are rewarded titles for their achievements. 'Ritual praise songs and poems are dedicated to the contestants in the events. Everyone is allowed and encouraged to participate in Naadam, thus nurturing community involvement and togetherness. The three types of sports are directly linked with the lifestyles and living conditions of the Mongols and their transmission is traditionally undertaken through home-schooling by family members, although formalized training regimens have recently developed for wrestling and archery. The rituals and customs of Naadam also accentuate respect for nature and the environment', the official website of UNESCO intangible heritage observed. Countries with vibrant cultural traditions, the pillars of India and Mongolia's relationship is based on #3Ds- Dharma, Development, Democracy--as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement. For most Mongolians, India is a 'spiritual neighbour', a declared 'third neighbor', a 'strategic partner' and a center for pilgrimage. Of late, the relationship has expanded beyond the cultural sphere into various facets of cooperation in the economic and defence sectors. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
EAM Jaishankar wishes Mongolian FM on 'Naadam Festival'
New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday extended greetings to his Mongolian counterpart Battsetseg Batmunkh on 'Naadam Festival'. He wished that the cooperation between the countries continues to flourish. In a post on X, he said, 'Warm greetings FM Battsetseg Batmunkh, the Government and people of Mongolia on 'Naadam Festival' celebrations. May our economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties continue to flourish and enrich our strategic partnership.' On March 22 this year, India and Mongolia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their Strategic Partnership, with senior officials from both nations conducting a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussing cooperation in key sectors, and planning high-level engagements to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar held a consultative meeting with Munkhtushig Lkhanaajav, State Secretary of Mongolia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to review the bilateral relationship between India and Mongolia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. On March 19, both sides discussed ways to further strengthen the India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership and maintain high-level engagements. They assessed cooperation in various sectors, including development partnerships, education, IT, energy, connectivity, culture, capacity building, mining, defence, and security. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X, 'Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumder held a Consultative Meeting with Mr. Munkhtushig Lkhanaajav, State Secretary, MoFA of Mongolia. Both sides carried out a comprehensive review of the bilateral relationship, agreed to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges & organize a series of commemorative activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.' Both countries agreed to conduct a series of commemorative activities to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations. They also decided to formally upgrade the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) to the Secretary level, the MEA said in a statement. During the meeting, they also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. India and Mongolia have interacted throughout history for 2,000 years. Following the emergence of Mongolia as a modern nation-state in the 20th century, the two countries have continued to build relations based on shared historical and cultural legacy. On May 17, 2015, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two countries declared a strategic partnership, as per the MEA. (ANI)
France 24
7 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Japan imperial couple visit WWII memorial, hail 'deep friendship' in Mongolia
Japan and Mongolia have drawn closer in recent years, with aid from Tokyo helping to spur economic development in the vast, sparsely populated country. Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, are on an eight-day state visit to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, during which Japan waged conflict across East Asia. Japan did not invade Mongolia -- then a client state of the Soviet Union -- during its expansion into continental Asia during World War II. But Moscow transferred thousands of Japanese prisoners of war to Mongolia after the end of the conflict, where around 1,700 are believed to have died while labouring on infrastructure projects. On Tuesday, the couple laid flowers and held a minute's silence at a Tokyo-funded memorial at the site of a former cemetery for deceased prisoners of war in Dambadarjaa, near the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar. At a banquet hosted by Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Naruhito hailed the two countries' "deep friendship and cooperation". "I hope the younger generation... will inherit the path of their predecessors and let blossom the many seeds of cooperation planted in this wide land," the emperor said. He also teamed up with the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Symphony Orchestra to perform two songs on his viola. The imperial couple are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of Mongolia's biggest annual festival, Naadam, on Friday ahead of their departure on Sunday. Also on Tuesday, they attended a welcome ceremony in Ulaanbaatar and reviewed a Mongolian honour guard. Naruhito told reporters last week he hoped the visit would help to "invigorate exchanges further, particularly among the younger generation". Tokyo's military legacy continues to colour its ties with other regional neighbours, particularly China and the Koreas. The imperial couple have made several domestic trips this year to commemorate the war dead, including to Hiroshima, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Beijing said last month it would hold a grand military parade in September to mark the 80th anniversary of what it officially calls the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
