The Mongolia Society, Inc.
Photo of the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash.
Welcome to the Mongolia Society!
Founded in 1961, The Mongolia Society is a private, non-profit, non-political organization that promotes the study of Mongolia, its history, language, and culture. Its aims are exclusively scholarly, educational, and charitable.
Learn more about our history and who we are
The Latest Edition of the Mongol Survey Newsletter
Issue no. 49 (Spring-Summer 2025) (PDF)
The Society Celebrates the Release of the Latest Publication
Reflections on the Checkered Century: The Memoirs of a Mongolian Ambassador, by Uriankhan B. Jargalsaikhan (Occasional Papers #30, October 2025).
In his memoir, U. B. Jargalsaikhan traces his five-decade-long career working in Mongolian’s foreign service during the checkered twentieth century. He reflects about how, during his student years in the 1930s, he witnessed Soviet efforts to instill a communist ideology into the life of the Mongolian people and to repress those, including the national elites and clergy, who dared to voice their doubts about them. Memoirs can be ordered for $38.00, plus postage, until November 1, 2026. After then, the cost will be $50.00, plus postage. (U.S. postage $5.50, overseas postage varies by destination.)
The Latest Mongolia Society News …
A Message from the Mongolia Society President, Michael Klecheski Ambassador (ret.),
The Society’s President, Ambassador (ret.) Michael Klecheski, his end-of-the-year message to our members about the Society’s accomplishments in 2025 and what we see coming in the New Year. Click here to read the message.
A Report on the Society’s Annual Meeting 2025. The Mongolia Society’s Annual Meeting & Panels was held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the Embassy of Mongolia, 2833 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007. Find a report and images of the meeting in our Annual Meeting page.
Mongolian-U.S. National Civic Engagement Program (MUNCEP) Applications for 2026 are open. The MUNCEP is hosted by the US Asia Institute (USAI) in collaboration with the Embassy of Mongolia from June 1 – July 31, 2026 in Washington, D.C. MUNCEP offers students or graduates of Mongolian-descent the opportunity to participate in a summer of professional development and civic leadership. Eligible applicants must be 18-25 years old and of Mongolian descent, current students or recent graduates, U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or valid F-1 visa holders, and able to relocate to Washington, D.C. Full eligibility requirements can be found on USAI’s website. The application deadline is January 31, 2026, with final decisions announced by February 13, 2026. Click here for more information.
Call for Papers: The Fourth Morin Khuur Festival in the USA, Denver 2026
The Fourth Morin Khuur Festival in the United States will take place on May 8-10, 2026, at the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver. Continuing the work of previous festivals, the 2026 event will bring together musicians, scholars, instrument makers, and cultural enthusiasts to celebrate and explore the contemporary development of the morin khuur, Mongolia’s iconic horsehead fiddle. As part of the program, the festival committee invites 200-300 word abstracts on any topic related to the morin khuur, including its history, craftsmanship, musical structure, and cultural significance. Abstracts may be submitted in English or Mongolian, and selected presenters will be allotted 20 minutes; translation will be provided. The deadline for abstract submission is January 30, 2026. Click here for more information.
Call for Papers: International Conference in Honor of J. Badraa, Ulaanbaatar 2026
In 2026, scholars in Mongolia and abroad will commemorate the centennial of Jamtsyn Badraa, one of Mongolia’s most influential cultural figures. To honor his life and work, an international academic conference will be held at the National University of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar on March 20, 2026. Call for abstracts on new research related to Badraa’s legacy or to topics aligned with his scholarly interests. Papers may address folk art, poetics, ethnomusicology, stylistics, translation, or media studies. Submissions may be written in Mongolian or English. The deadline for titles and abstracts is February 1, 2026. Click here for more information.
Save the Date: Mongolian Lunar New Year Tsagaan Sar Celebration, 2026
Please join us for the Mongolian Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday February 14, 2026. The event will be hosted by The Mongolia Society, Department of Central Eurasian Studies, Inner Asian an Uralic National Resource Center, Mongolian Student Association and the Bloomington Mongolian community. The event will take place at Ferguson International Center, Indiana University Bloomington, 4th floor, Rooms 421/423, 330 N Eagleson Ave., Bloomington, Indiana.
In Remembrance: Steven Richard Saunders (1946–2025)
The Mongolia Society mourns the passing of Steven Richard Saunders, who died on July 5, 2025, leaving behind a profound legacy as a diplomat, businessman, and one of Mongolia’s most steadfast "Third Neighbor" advocates. Click here to read the Society’s remembrance.
The Society celebrates the release of a new publication. Reflections on the Checkered Century: The Memoirs of a Mongolian Ambassador, by Uriankhan B. Jargalsaikhan (Occasional Papers #30, October 2025). In his memoir, U. B. Jargalsaikhan traces his five-decade-long career working in Mongolian’s foreign service during the checkered twentieth century. He reflects about how, during his student years in the 1930s, he witnessed Soviet efforts to instill a communist ideology into the life of the Mongolian people and to repress those, including the national elites and clergy, who dared to voice their doubts about them. Memoirs can be ordered for $38.00, plus postage, until November 1, 2026. After then, the cost will be $50.00, plus postage. (U.S. postage $5.50, overseas postage varies by destination.) Click here for more information.