The main contents of this publication are reports from thirty-two nations collected by ICHCAP from 2009 to 2015 as part of its annual projects to collect information on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region. We have also compiled information from other reports and conference materials collected by ICHCAP to present key data, such as national inventories and information on related organizations, in an easily accessible format.

Mongols have practiced pastoral nomadism for centuries within the vast steppe that stretches throughout Central Asia, which has led to the creation of a nomadic civilization, a distinct civilization accepted worldwide. Within the context of this residing landscape, the main features of spirituality, and oral and intangible cultures practiced by Mongols have been crafted and determined.

Khan-Uul Complex School is located in Kherlen Soum (district) of Dornod Province, which has four ethnic groups: the Khalkh, the Buryat, the Barga and the Uzemchin. For years, the school has been very active in promoting the intangible cultural heritage of the region and beyond, both through curricular and extra-curricular activities. It has developed several policies to support this process, such as incorporating ICH activities into the school annual work plan, adjusting teachers’ workloads to provide time for such activities, and creating suitable environments to foster student learning

In 2014, the Mongolian Law on the Protection of the Cultural Heritage was amended with 13 chapters and 61 articles. The main purposes and functions of this law is to regulate any relations associated with investigation, registration, research, classification, evaluation, conservation, protection, restoration, revitalization, transmission, ownership, usage, and promotion of cultural heritage. Article 22. Registration of cultural heritage 22.4 The information of intangible cultural heritage and its bearers shall be registered in the cultural heritage registration and information database 24.1 The information of the cultural heritage registration and information database can be used by citizens and legal entities, with the permission of an authorized entity. It is prohibited to infringe the legitimately given interest of owner and possessor while using the information. 24.2 The information of cultural heritage registered in the cultural heritage registration and information database can be used to make comprehensive promotional products for the public. Article 34. Rights and duties of bearers of intangible cultural heritage 34.2. Bearers of intangible cultural heritage shall have the following duties: 34.2.1 to teach students and transmit intangible cultural heritage to the next generations 34 2.2. to disseminate and promote intangible cultural heritage; 34.2.3 to provide assistance to record information and conduct registration of intangible cultural heritage. Article 39. Transmission of intangible cultural heritage 39.1. The state central administrative organization in charge of cultural affairs and Governors of all levels shall be responsible to preserve, protect transmit, promote, and research intangible cultural heritage, and its bearers in association with ethnological

The Mongolia is rich in Shamanic heritage, including both physical artifacts, ritual sites, places of cultural or historical interest and protected landscapes (‘tangible’ heritage) together with rituals, ceremonies, folklore, music, handicrafts, and traditional knowledge ( known as ‘intangible’ heritage). Under Mongolian shamanism we can understand complete science of nomadic philosophy, TNGRI worship, Sacred of peak mountains ritual, parallel psychology of Heaven, earth, fire and human life and supernatural consciousness of Nomadic. On that account we could understand Shamanism is reliable source of Nomadic culture. The Mongols, who themselves worshiped Heaven but had respect for all other religions. The Shamans are merely respected as priests of Heaven./TNGRI/ In Shamanism; the world is alive full of spirits. The plants, animals, rocks, mountains and water, all have a soul. These spirits must be respected to be in the balance with all of them. Balance is an important thing to keep harmony within you, the community, and the environment. When things get out of balance, there are harmful effects. This is when we need a shaman for help. Shamanisms believe in a concept called buyan (physical power) that is very close to the belief of karma (fate). The shaman loses buyan (buyanhishig) by violating taboos, when he has no respect for spirits or our ancestors.

Arts Council of Mongolia In 2002, business, civic, and arts leaders of Mongolia formed the Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM), a non-governmental organization with the mission to promote the sustainable development of Mongolian arts and culture as well as the preservation of various cultural heritage. ACM is one of the first NGOs of its kind in the country. Its activities include supporting Mongolian art institutions and individual artists through programs for promoting international exchanges, raising public interest and awareness about Mongolian arts and culture, building the capacity of artists and administrators in Mongolian art institutions, and initiating art education and cultural heritage programs through advocating a close collaboration between private and public sectors.

According to the Mongolian astrological calendar, as well as in other Asian countries, this year is the Year of the Tiger. As well as a year, the third of the twelve animals of lunar astrology is also marked with the day of the tiger (the day of the conquest of the tiger), the month of the tiger (the first month of spring), and the tiger hours of the day (3.40 a.m. to 5.40 a.m.). Mongols teach that, “If you do not get up with tiger [i.e., during the tiger hours], then the day will be late. If you do not study in young age, then growing up will be late.” The tiger is also one of the eight cardinal directions on the map of Mongolia, representing northeast. This corresponds with the octagonal shape of a yurt, on which homeowners place the appropriate symbols depending on the direction of each face.

The fundamental purpose of the 2003 Convention is to contribute to peacebuilding, mutual understanding, respect, dialogue among different people and communities and to empower and enrich the cultural diversity of humanity. The concept and nature of ICH are linked with the expression of valuable knowledge and skills transmitted among ethnic communities and groups, in a word, with the spiritual memory of the people and societies, which transcend geographical spaces and political borders. As ICH is often shared by communities on the territories of more than one state, the multinational inscriptions of such a shared heritage on the UNESCO List of ICH constitute an important mechanism for promoting international cooperation. The Committee, therefore, decided (7.COM 14) to establish an online platform through which State Parties can announce their intentions to nominate elements and other State Parties may learn new opportunities for cooperation in establishing multinational nominations. Mongolia holds the multinational nomination with China on the ‘Urtiin duu, Mongolian traditional folk long song’ (2008) and with 18 States Parties on the ‘Falconry, a living human heritage’ which are inscribed on the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity

By the 68th resolution of the government of Mongolia, the National Program for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage was approved on 13 February 2019. This national program will be implemented between 2019 and 2023, and it has six parts. 1. Justifications 2. Objectives, purposes, and duration 3. Activities to be implemented within the framework of the national program 4. Evaluation criteria for implementing the national program 5. Financing the national program 6. Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of national program Several articles associated with protecting and safeguarding traditional culture, its transmission, development, research, and dissemination were reflected on the Constitution of Mongolia, the National Security Concept of Mongolia, the Concept of Mongolia’s Foreign Policy, the Concept of Sustainable Development of Mongolia, the State Policy on Culture, the Law of Culture, the Law on Protection of Cultural Heritage, and the Law of Mongolian Language. The Mongolian Law on Protecting Cultural Heritage was amended in 2014 by the State Great Khural for regulating relations associated with the fifteen ICH classifications, the rights and duties of ICH practitioners, an organization of transmission activities and so on. Between 2005 and 2016, the government of Mongolia approved and implemented national programs for ICH elements, including morin khuur, traditional long song, and Mongol khoomei, which were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and Mongolian traditional folk dance bii biyelgee, Mongol epic, and Mongol tsuur, which were inscribed on the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The NCCH has taken part in implementing these programs. As a result, these national programs have had positive changes in safeguarding ICH, such as identifying ICH practitioners from elders, organizing apprenticeship training, promoting traditional culture and cultural heritage abroad and nationwide, transmitting ICH to younger generations, building pride in ICH, and self-researching ICH. The national programs were implemented only for the folk performing arts domain—one of the five UNESCO domains of ICH—but were not implemented for the other domains.It is a demanding task to implement ways to increase and improve research and safeguarding efforts for ICH in every domain represented in nomadic culture as well as to promote ICH abroad and nationally, and, at the same time, also increase the social and economic status of ICH practitioners while improving their skill and opening possibilities to introduce the cultural industry as a form of a tourist product. The main objective of this national program is to identify ICH elements of ethnic groups in Mongolia and to research, register, document safeguard, transmit, and disseminate the ICH elements abroad and nationally. Within the program’s framework, the following objectives were put forward to be implemented: -To improve the policy and legal environment of ICH and to intensify the implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage -To improve research, documentation, and activities of ICH registration and information database in accordance with international standards -To organize and conduct activities associated with raising the general public’s awareness about ICH and disseminating ICH abroad and nationally based on intersectoral cooperation -To increase the ICH specialists’ capacity and support ICH practitioners Photo : Sambuugiin Pürevjav of Altai Khairkhan (an overtone singing ensemble from Mongolia) playing a morin khuur near Centre Georges Pompidou in 2005 CCBY 2.5 Eric Pouhier