SPEECH BY PRESIDENT KHURELSUKH UKHNAA AT THE CEREMONY OF CONFERRING THE SUPREME DECORATION OF THE MONGOLIAN STATE, THE ORDER OF CHINGGIS KHAAN, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 861ST BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF CHINGGIS KHAAN, THE NATIONAL PRIDE DAY

“My fellow Mongolians – the guardians of hearth and home of the Great Mongolian State,

My fellow countrymen living all around the world,

Esteemed successive Heads of State of Mongolia,

Honorable guests,

I extend my sincere greetings to you for the “National Pride Day,” which celebrates the 861st Anniversary of the birth of the Great Chinggis Khaan - the King of Kings, the great leader in the history of humankind, the Man of the Millennium and the source of the lasting pride of the Mongolian people.

Last year, we solemnly and widely celebrated the 860th Anniversary of the birth of the Great Chinggis Khaan.

On that historical occasion, President of Mongolia issued a decree to honor the portrait of the Great Chinggis Khaan, respect and revere the wisdom and glory of the great Khaan. We also solemnly opened the Chinggis Khaan National Museum.

A Presidential Decree was issued to rebuild the city of Kharkhorum in the Orkhon Valley, a cultural heritage of the humankind, the sacred hearth of ancient kingdoms, established by the Decree of the Great Khaan in 1220.

We, Mongolians, must respect and follow Great Chinggis Khaan’s genius, teachings, and wisdom, to inherit the values and heritage of our statehood to the generations to come, to maintain harmony, and to devote our heart and soul to the service of our nation’s development and prosperity.

It is a great tradition for the President of Mongolia to confer on the National Pride Day the Supreme Decoration of the Mongolian State, the Order of Chinggis Khaan, to Mongolian and foreign citizens, legal entities, and public and social servants, whose extraordinary service have made a significant contribution to the study, preservation, and promotion of Mongolian statehood, history, culture, and heritage to the world.

Today, I am honored to award the Morin Khuur Ensemble of Mongolia with the Supreme Decoration of the Mongolian State, Order of Chinggis Khaan for preserving and promoting the Morin Khuur [Horsehead Fiddle], the musical sutra of the vigor of the Mongols, the twin strings to sing the Mongol wisdom and soul, for valuable contributions to the revival of the national conscience, culture and mentality, for consolidating and elevating Mongolia’s international reputation and for advancing the knowledge and appreciation of the cultural heritage and values of the Mongol nation worldwide.

On behalf of the people of Mongolia, I congratulate the members of the Morin Khuur Ensemble for the honorable title named after the Great Chinggis Khaan and wish every success in all your future endeavors.

I wish success in further promoting Mongolia’s cultural heritage to the enjoyment of the entire humankind which is a noble cause of the Morin Khuur Ensemble, a Cultural Envoy of Mongolia, the embodiment of the unique Mongol heritage to sing the worldly life with two only strings to gratify human soul with the heavenly melody of the steppe.

May Mongolia prosper under the Eternal Blue Sky!”