NAADAM ORGANIZING COMMITTEE CONVENES

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ A meeting of the national Naadam festival was held in the room of Deputy Prime Minister D.Terbishdagva on Monday. At the meeting, the Naadam organizers shared views on ongoing preparations for the festival, including arrangements in the horse racing area and the wrestling stadium, and planning of a 3D show in the city main square. The festival organizing committee consists of subcommittees separately responsible for wrestling, horse races, archery competitions, vendor sales and services, state ceremonies, public order, art events, knucklebone shooting contests, and press. Naadam is a traditional festival in Mongolia. The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during midsummer. Women have started participating in the archery and girls in the horse-racing games, but not in Mongolian wrestling. In 2010, Naadam was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. The biggest festival (Naadam of the Country) is held in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar during the National Holiday from July 11 – 13, in the National Sports Stadium. Naadam begins with an elaborate introduction ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horse riders, and musicians. After the ceremony, the competitions begin.