#zorig

[minimongol]

Бидний хувь заяа бидний гарт л байна

С.Зориг

[minimongol]

Санжаасүрэнгийн Зориг 1962/04/20 - 1998/10/02

Zorig Sanjaasuren (1962-1998) is one of the most important man in Mongolian history and politics. He is called the "Golden Swallow of Democracy."

Zorig was a prominent Mongolian politician and leader of the country's 1990 Democratic Revolution. In 1989 and 1990, he played a leading role in the events that led to Mongolia's adoption of a multi-party system. On December 10, 1989, a month after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Zorig led a group of 200 activists in a public protest demanding a free-market economy and free elections. Read more about him here: Wiki

Photo: Zorig and his wife at their home

[meeratakescologne]

Tonight is my last night in Mongolia! Of course that means that the majority of my sightseeing was crammed into my last three days here. Between work and pure procrastination, it ended up that everything on my “to-do” list got postponed for the entire month and had to get accomplished this weekend. I have to say that I was impressed! In the past few days I visited Gandan Monastery, the Bogd Khan Winter Palace, the Chojin Lama Museum, Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, the Chingghis Khan monument at Tsonjin Boldog, Zaisan, a local ger district, and several art galleries. It’s been a busy few days getting caught up, packed, and ready to head back to the UK (with a five-day stop in Turkey on the way). 

Today was actually the birthday of Sanjaasuren Zorig and there was a public memorial in his honor that we got to attend along with the other employees of the foundation. It was a very fitting end to our month in Mongolia, honoring democracy, Zorig’s legacy, and the long but achievable path ahead for a young malleable country. I’ve loved my time here: it was a brilliant month with lovely company (Oyumaa and I are still friends, despite living/working/spending every minute together) and insightful experiences that gave me a working understanding of modern Mongolia. 

баяртай* (for now) from UB! 

*I learned how to read Mongolian during an uneventful afternoon--I don’t understand what i’m reading, but it’s still been fun to be able to recognize road signs and read children’s books!

[meeratakescologne]

*Impact

Last night, I had the chance to attend a women’s leadership networking event sponsored by Zorig following a panel on women and corporate governance. Perhaps the factor that impressed upon me the most was the impact that these women felt they were making in Mongolia. Many of them were born abroad--or lived the majority of their lives elsewhere--and came to Mongolia after college to implement their newfound skills and help create progress in their motherland. I have never considered doing something similar--moving to India and staking a claim for myself. It’s a bold move, and one that tells of the widespread belief held by Mongolian youth-- that they can better their motherland. 

I have said it before--Mongolia is a very special country: democracy itself has been around for hardly 25 years. Bordered by giants, it’s a country trying to catch up to the developed world while retaining its fiercely individualistic spirit. The dedication that Mongolians have for their country is a testament to this belief--that their western education should be redirected to solve Mongolian problems and create local growth. It’s not just Mongolians who feel this way; many foreigners echo the same sentiment. Mongolia is a place where effort is rewarded: because of the very nature of the country (low-population and vast land and resources), it’s possible to see the very real outcomes of one’s work. As I see it, it’s a win-win situation: the country is bettered while you feel personally validated for your efforts. It’s a feeling I too am enamored with; in Mongolia, making a difference is not just an idealistic dream but an everyday occurrence. 

[tsogo]

#zorig #stencil #streetart #ub #ubdaily #ubeveryday #mongolia #ulaanbaatar #ig #iphone4

[budagchin]

За хамгийн анхы хөдөлгөөнт зураг хийх гэж үзлээ... :D 

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