Subject: This Month in Mongolian Studies: April 2026

April 2026

A Word from the Director

Dear Members, Supporters, Alumni, Volunteers, Participants, and Friends Old and New,

It's finally starting to feel like spring here on the East Coast of the United States, and I can't believe March is already behind us. It was a busy month full of receptions, project launches, and other exciting opportunities, which you can read more about below. And with our busy program season coming up, I can guarantee this is just the beginning of what is sure to be another record-breaking summer.

We are looking forward to Speaker Series lectures, community activities, three Mongolia Field School courses, our first-ever Educational Tour, an exhibition and symposium highlighting Owen Lattimore and the Diluv Hutughtu Jamsrangjab, and so much more.

However, we can't do it without your help. We at ACMS pride ourselves on our consistently high-quality programming and services. But in light of the continually shifting federal funding landscape, donations from individuals like you are more important than ever. By donating just $100, you help make it possible to continue providing the services, programs, opportunities, and most importantly, the community that you all know and love.

So head to our website and make your tax-deductible donation today. And from all of us at ACMS, thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Maggie Lindrooth
U.S. Director, ACMS

Upcoming ACMS Events and Opportunities

Upcoming Speaker Series:
Educator Wellbeing—How Schools Can Support Their Teachers and Staff

Mr. Simon Andrews is an expert on counseling, educational leadership, and teaching with over twenty years of experience in the education sector in countries including Mongolia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Currently the Director of Wellbeing for Baga Tenger International School in Ulaanbaatar, he is an advocate for educator wellbeing who travels across the world to deliver presentations and workshops on this topic.

Join us at the American Corner Ulaanbaatar, Natsagdorj Library. at 5:30pm ULAT on April 16, 2026!

Chess Tournament

We are collaborating with the American University of Mongolia to host a community chess tournament in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia!

This friendly tournament welcomes everyone from beginners to seasoned players. The aim of the competition is to foster community inclusivity and bring together students, faculty, and the wider community through chess.

If you are interested, join us at the American University of Mongolia at 10:00am to 3pm on May 3, 2026. Spots are limited, so register now!

International Mongolia Humanities Forum: May 9, 2026

ACMS is pleased to announce the inaugural International Mongolia Humanities Forum (IMHF) in partnership with SOAS University of London! This virtual event will showcase graduate-level humanities research related to Mongolia, and will provide all presenters with the chance to not only share their research, but also to receive feedback from a carefully selected panel of expert scholars in the field.

While the application period for presenters is now closed, we welcome members of the academy and the general public alike to join us for what is sure to be a fascinating day of presentations on a variety of topics in the humanities.

So register today and mark your calendars for May 9!

Khutughtu and Lattimore: Legacy Beyond Borders

ACMS and the Diluv Hutugthu Foundation (DHF) are excited to announce the international cultural and academic initiative "Khutugthu and Lattimore: Legacy Beyond Borders".

This joint initiative highlights the historic friendship between Diluv Hutughtu Jamsrangjab, a prominent Mongolian Buddhist leader and statesman, and Owen Lattimore, a pioneering American scholar of Mongolia and Inner Asia. This project aims to shed new light on these prominent figures' shared vision through introducing this valuable history to a new audience, preserving a crucial piece of Mongolia's cultural heritage while strengthening understanding between Mongolia and the United States.

Activities include an international exhibition in Ulaanbaatar (May 12-June 12, 2026), an international symposium entitled "Faith, Scholarship, and Statecraft: The Enduring Legacy of Owen Lattimore and Diluv Khutughtu" (May 12-13, 2026), and community outreach to the Diluv Hutughtu's home province of Zavkhan (May 12-18, 2026).

To learn more about this initiative and how you can attend, support, or get involved, please visit our website here or contact info@mongoliacenter.org. This project is a joint effort between ACMS, the Diluv Hutughtu Foundation (DHF), and other local and international partners.

Exclusive Educational Tour: Echoes of the Past

ACMS and the Institute of Nomadic Archaeology at the National University of Mongolia are thrilled to announce our exclusive educational tour: Echoes of the Past. The tour, led by two Mongolian archeologists from the National University of Mongolia, will take participants on an archaeological exploration of the Khoid Tamir River Valley's deep past.

Taking place in one of the most iconic archeological sites of Mongolia, participants will engage in a real archaeological expedition focused on deer stones and other historic artifacts. If you wish to take part in a hands-on experience and seek answers from the past, please click here to learn more about the program. ACMS is also happy to inform you that the Early Bird Discount has been extended to April 15, 2026.

Date: June 25-July 9, 2026

Location: Khoid Tamir Valley, Mongolia

Register Here.

ACMS News and Updates

Owen Lattimore Library Opens in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

To honor Owen Lattimore, one of the most prominent figures of Mongolian Studies, the inauguration of the Owen Lattimore Library was held on March 12, 2026.

Brought together by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Dr. Bold Ravdan, Academician Batbayar Tsedendamba, and researchers and partners, the opening ceremony featured ACMS In-Country Director Davaasuren Myagmar's introduction to the "Khutughtu and Lattimore: Legacy Beyond Borders” project. The event also featured an exhibition of Lattimore’s works in collaboration with the National Library of Mongolia, a book donation ceremony, and new book presentations by InterNom Bookstore.

"Mongolia's Democratic Revolution" Exhibition Reception

In mid-March, ACMS, the University of British Columbia, and the BC Mongolian Community successfully held a reception for their co-sponsored exhibition "Mongolia's Democratic Revolution." This exhibition was open to the public at the Lobby Gallery of UBC's Liu Institute for Global Issues until March 27, 2026. Scholars, community members, and friends in Vancouver joined together to reflect on Mongolia's democracy through the lens of Irja Halász. The exhibition featured selections from Halász's collection of photographs and rare underground posters from the 1989 to 1990 democratic movement, and captured the voices and spirit of this pivotal moment in Mongolia's history. Halász herself made a virtual appearance at the reception, where she discussed her experiences as a photojournalist in Mongolia during the late 1980s and early 90s. Learn more here.

Fellowship Launch: Strengthening Book Conservation and Heritage Preservation

ACMS is pleased to announce the launch of a Research and Professional Fellowship in Book Conservation and Heritage Preservation!

Dr. Angaragsuren Odkhuu, Conservator at the National Library of Mongolia, is undertaking a professional training and research fellowship at UC Berkeley's Tang Center for Silk Road Studies from March to April, 2026. This pilot fellowship engaged international conservation specialists and provided hands-on professional internship activities in rare book conservation and preventive preservation.

This initiative highlights the importance of strengthening Mongolia’s conservation capacity and protecting documentary heritage for future generations, and we are grateful to UC Berkeley and private donors for their support!

External Opportunities and Highlights

Call for Proposals: Mongolian Journal for Strategic Studies

The Institute for Strategic Studies of the National Security Council of Mongolia invites scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to submit manuscripts for the Q4 2026 issue of the Mongolian Journal for Strategic Studies.

This issue is to be published entirely in English, marking the first time in the journal’s 35-year history that a full issue will appear in the English language. This milestone reflects the ISS commitment to amplifying Mongolian strategic research on the international stage and fostering deeper engagement with the global scholarly community.

This issue welcomes original research on topics including International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, International Security and Geopolitics, Trade and Geoeconomics, Non-Traditional Security Issues, Regional Studies, Peacekeeping, and more.

Requirements:
Language: English

Length: 2500–3,500 words (including footnotes)

Abstract: Up to 250 words

Keywords: Up to 6 terms

Font: Times New Roman, 12pt, 1.15 line spacing

Citation Style: Chicago

Originality: Manuscripts must not have been previously published in any domestic or international journal

Review process: All submissions will undergo peer review. Authors must comply with ethics standards.

Please contact Mr. Buyandelger Davaajantsan at buyandelgeer@iss.gov.mn for further information. You can also visit the Mongolian Journal for Strategic Studies website to explore its latest publications.

NGO Spotlight: PAWS Mongolia

Paws Mongolia is a U.S.-based nonprofit working to improve attitudes toward companion animals in Mongolia. Through education, outreach, and advocacy, they promote humane treatment of animals. They are currently installing public billboards and studying the gap between Mongolia’s Pet Law (2023) and its real-world implementation to support stronger accountability and action. Learn more about this organization and the important work they're doing here!

NGO Spotlight: Wild Camel Protection Foundation USA

Founded in 1997, the Wild Camel Protection Foundation (WCPF) recently established a U.S. chapter, WCPF USA, with the goal to build a strong and passionate community in the United States dedicated to supporting the conservation of the endangered Wild Camel in Mongolia.

Through the establishment of Wild Camel Breeding Centers in the Gobi Desert, along with ongoing research and educational programs, WCPF continues to expand understanding of this extraordinary species and the fragile ecosystem it inhabits.

This is crucial work because today, only about 1,000 Wild Camels remain in the entire world. Every birth, every research project, and every conservation effort matters. Protecting the Wild Camel is not only about saving a species, but also about preserving the unique Gobi Desert ecosystem, a landscape that has shaped wildlife and human cultures for thousands of years. To learn more about this organization and their remarkable work, visit their website here.

Publications

The Smithsonian Mongolian Trilogy: Bronze Age Deer Stones and the Prehistory and Rock Art of Central and Western Mongolia

The International Polar Institute Press and the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center have announced The Smithsonian Mongolian Trilogy: three titles that document a decade of research by Mongolian and American archaeologists and the Mongolian National Museum.

Through the combined lenses of rock art, settlement patterns, and mortuary ritual, this research provides a rare glimpse into how mountain Altaian cultures bordering Mongolia, China, and Russia used ritual landscape to order their changing lives, beliefs, and technology. All three books are by longtime friends of ACMS Dr. Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan, Dr. William Fitzhugh, and Dr. Richard Kortum.

Join the ACMS!

Interested in becoming more involved with the ACMS? In addition to checking out our website or following us on social media to stay up to date, consider becoming a member online or by stopping by our UB office located at Natsagdorj Library, East Entrance, Seoul St-7, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Additionally, keep your eye out for future newsletters that will include more resources, upcoming events, CfPs, and more.

As always, our Mongolian language classes are available on Zoom or in-person in our Ulaanbaatar office. Contact Tsermaa for more details. And don't forget, many of our library resources are available online as well! So until next time, happy reading and enjoy your winter.