Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What is Naadam? The story behind Mongolia’s ‘Three Manly Games’
Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in 1206, and his descendants expanded the empire’s territory from the Pacific Ocean to the Danube River and Persian Gulf in its heyday. Today’s Mongolian People’s Republic was established as a socialist state in 1924. Mongolians still keep and celebrate their nomadic culture through Naadam, a traditional festival consisting of three main sports: wrestling, horse racing, and archery, essential skills for nomads and soldiers. Naadam has been a national holiday for over 100 years and was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Anyone can participate in the games except for men-only wrestling. The main events are held between July 11 and 13 in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, with parades and wrestling at the national stadium, archery competitions at the National Archery Field, and horse racing at fairgrounds outside the city. The Mongolian government wants to boost tourism by allowing nationals from 61 countries to enter without a visa for up to 30 days. Also, 2,500 tickets for the 11,000-seat stadium are reserved for foreigners. Interested in visiting Mongolia to enjoy the traditional festivals and beautiful summer?
Read the article and learn about Mongolia’s Naadam festival.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/naadam-festival-mongolia-three-manly-games-cmd/index.html
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