During a virtual meeting between India’s Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (Independent Charge) Prahlad Singh Patel & Mongolia’s Minister of Culture, Chinbat Nomin, renewed the Cultural Exchange Program (CEP) between the two countries until 2023.
- The CEP was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mongolia in May, 2015.
- The cooperation under the program will be discussed in meetings between senior officers of the Culture Ministries of India & Mongolia.
Key Points
i.Buddhism will be the basis of the deep, spiritual friendship between the two countries.
ii.10 dedicated ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) Scholarships for studying ‘Tibetan Buddhism’ to be allocated for Mongolians to study in specialized institutes of Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Leh, Ladakh and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS) at Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh from 2020-21.
iii.India reaffirmed its support for digitization of Buddhist manuscripts in Gandan Monastery, which is situated in Ulaanbaatar the capital of Mongolia.
- India will also consider Mongolia’s request to set up a museum-cum-library in Gandan Monastery.
- India’s Culture Ministry is set to complete reprinting of 100 sets of Sacred Mongolian Kanjur by 2022 for distribution in Mongolia.
- In the Mongolian language ‘Kanjur’ means ‘Concise Orders’- the words of Lord Buddha in particular.
Recent Related News:
On December 5, 2020, India, Mongolia held the 7th Meeting of Joint Committee on Cooperation 2020 virtually.
About Mongolia
President – Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Capital – Ulaanbaatar
Currency – Togrog or Tugrik (MNT)
