Public ‘Mongolia Days’ events set for May 5 and 6

Western Washington University is hosting a two-day celebration of Mongolia during its upcoming “Mongolia Days,” to be held May 5-6 on Western’s campus.

All Mongolia Days events are free and open to the public.

Western’s longstanding commitment to Mongolian Studies education is exemplified by Western Libraries’ unparalleled collection of Mongolian materials, and attendees are invited to join special guests from Mongolia for a series of programs designed to highlight and celebrate the Mongolia Collection at Western Libraries, Western’s partnerships with Mongolian universities, and Western’s community connections.

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, featured speaker Charles Krusekopf – executive director of the American Center for Mongolian Studies and director and associate professor of the Royal Roads University School of Business in Victoria, British Columbia – will give a talk in the Library Presentation Room (Wilson Library 164F) entitled “Natural Resource Development in Mongolia – The Impacts on Culture, Environment, and Government.”

Since the mid-2000s the Mongolian economy has boomed, fueled by the development of the coal, copper and gold mining industries. This session will examine the impact the natural resource boom over the last decade has had on Mongolia’s political system and government, the natural environment, and tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6 in Western’s Old Main Theatre, the “Mongolian Celebration,” will feature opening remarks by Acting Consul General Dorj Bayarkhuu, the Mongolian Consulate of San Francisco, and performances by celebrated Mongolian musicians Adilbish Badmaanyambuu and Bold Chimedregzen. The celebration concludes that same evening at 7 p.m. with a special screening of “Remote Control,” a filmabout a runaway living on a roof in Ulaanbataar who finds a lonely woman and embarks on a mission to intertwine their fate. The film won the New Currents Award for emerging filmmakers at Asia’s largest international film festival in 2013, and is being offered as part of Western’s Center for International Studies Reel World Film Series.

Mongolia Days are sponsored by Western Libraries, Woodring College of Education, the Center for East Asian Studies, and the Center for International Studies. Programs are made possible by the generous support from Henry G. Schwarz, John C. Street, and Susan Bradbury.

For more information about Mongolia Days, contact Connie Mallison at (360) 650- 3051 or Connie.Mallison@wwu.edu.