In honor of the anniversary of one of the oldest and most honored scientists and cultural figures of modern Mongolia, the Academy of Sciences of the country and the International Association of Mongolian Studies organized an international symposium "Problems of Traditional Mongolian Culture in the era of globalization" (Ulaanbaatar, September 3-4, 2007).

September 3, 2007 marked the 80th anniversary of the birth of a prominent Mongolian scientist with a worldwide reputation, full member of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Secretary General of the International Association of Mongolian Studies, President of the Mongolian Roerichs Society, Hero of Labor, Honored Scientist (1996), winner of the State Prize of Mongolia (2002), winner of the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in Science (Japan, 2006)), Honorary Member of the International Academy of Indian Culture (India, 1997), Honorary Doctor of MGIMO (U) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (2001), Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2007), Professor, Doctor of Historical Sciences Shagdaryn Biry.

Shagdaryn Bira was born on September 3, 1927 in Ulaanbaatar. In 1951, he was one of the first Mongols to graduate from MGIMO under the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1951-1957, he taught the history of international relations at universities in Mongolia. In 1958-1960 he studied at the post-graduate school of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences under the guidance of the outstanding Russian orientalist Yu. N.Roerich. In 1960, he successfully defended his PhD thesis, and in 1972-his doctoral thesis at the Institute of Internal Affairs of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He quickly became one of the leading historians and social scientists of his country. From 1973 to 1982, he was Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Moldova for Social Sciences, and from 1982 to 1985, he was Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Moldova.

He is the author of more than 100 scientific works, including the monographs " Mongolian Tibetan-language historical literature (XVII-XVIII centuries) "(Ulaanbaatar, 1960), "On the Golden Book of Sh. Dandin" (Ulaanbaatar, 1964)," Mongolian Historiography (XIII-XVII centuries)" (Moscow, 1978), " Some problems of the history and ideology of the State of Great Mongolia "(Ulaanbaatar, 2006, in Mongolian), detailed sections on the history and culture of Mongolia in such large, generalizing international and national collective works as the six-volume "History of Civilizations of Central Asia", published under the auspices of UNESCO, one-volume " History of the Mongolian People's Republic "(a joint work of Soviet and Mongolian historians, 3rd ed., 1983), "History of the MNR" in three volumes (Ulaanbaatar, 1966-1969, in Mongolian), etc. Over the years, four volumes of his collected works were published in Ulaanbaatar and Tokyo in English, Russian and Mongolian, which mainly included articles, reports and speeches at international and national scientific forums. Many of his scientific works have been translated into English, Japanese, Chinese, German and other languages. Sh. Bira is a well-known and authoritative scientist in the world of science (see: Orient (Oriens). 2003. N 5. pp. 184-193).

Sh. Bira is one of the initiators and founders in September 1987 of the first International Association of Mongolian Studies in the history of world science (headquartered in Ulaanbaatar, currently the president of the IAM is a well-known Mongolian scholar Sh. Ozawa (Japan). For almost 20 years, Sh. Bira is the permanent Secretary-General, in fact, the living soul and "motor" of this authoritative organization, which is an associate member of UNESCO and unites in its ranks more than 300 Mongolian scholars from more than 30 countries of the world. He is the editor-in-chief of the print media of the Russian Academy of Sciences-the scientific and informational magazine " Bulletin. The IAMS News

page 211
Information on Mongol Studies "and the yearbook "Mongolica". The Association regularly holds international congresses of Mongolian scholars. Thus, more than 400 scientists, including about 300 foreign scientists from 26 countries, took part in the work of the last, IX ICM, held in Ulaanbaatar in August 2006 and dedicated to the significant anniversary-the 800th anniversary of the formation of a unified Mongolian state.

Among the numerous students of Sh. There are many well-known scientists, state and public figures of Mongolia: member of the Great State Hural of Mongolia acad. Zh. Boldbaatar, Doctors of Sciences Ts. Balhaazhav, B. Sumyaa, G. Luvsantseren, L. Khurelbaatar, etc.

The symposium was attended by scientists from seven countries (Russia, China, Japan, USA, South Korea, India, Germany), as well as social scientists from Mongolia.

The official part of the symposium was opened by the Vice-President of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Science Department of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Director of the UNESCO International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilizations, Academician B. Enkhtuvshin.

Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Science S. Tumur-Ochir, President of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia akad. B. Chadraa, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia H. Behbat, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Mongolia V. Varna, Adviser to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Mongolia V. TS Ganzhurov, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kalmykia E. B. Pokaninova, zav. Professor of the Mongolian Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. V. Graivoronsky, Professor of the Central University of Chinese Nationalities Hishigtogtoh, Director of the Institute of International Studies of the Academy of Sciences of China L. Haisandai, Director of the Institute of International Relations of the Mongolian State University N. Altantsetseg, etc.

On behalf of the management and the Academic Council of the Institute of Physics and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, V. V. Graivoronsky presented Sh. Vire received an honorary doctorate degree from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a welcome address. Congratulating the hero of the day, E. B. Pokaninova informed that by the decree of the President of the Republic of Kalmykia, K. V. Ilyumzhinov was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Republic. In the days of Jubilee III. Vira was also awarded the following titles: honorary diplomat-from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, honorary doctor or professor - from several academic institutes and universities of Mongolia.

Executive Director of MAM Ts. Ishdorj made a report about the greetings received to the hero of the day from international and national organizations, as well as from many well-known foreign scientists, including the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sh. President of the International Academy of Indian Culture Lokash Chandra (India), First Vice-President of the International Roerich Center, Director of the N. K. Roerich Museum L. V. Baryshnikova (Moscow), Professor Caroline Humphrey of Cambridge University (Great Britain), Professor Nakami Tatsuo of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Japan), from many Mongolian scholars from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ulan-Ude and other scientific centers of Russia.

All the speakers and those who sent congratulations noted the great merits of Sh. Bira in studying the history, source studies, historiography, culture, science, nomadic civilization of Mongolia, spiritual and cultural relations of the Mongols with the Indo-Tibetan, Muslim, Chinese and Russian civilizations, the history of the emergence and development of statehood among the Mongols, in the formation and development of Tibetology and Buddhology in Mongolia etc.

The famous Indian scientist, President of the International Academy of Indian Culture Lokash Chandra gave an exceptionally high, imaginative and emotional assessment of S. Bira's services to his people and science, calling him "a symbol of the great history and glorious culture of the Mongolian people", "the pearl of Mongolian science", "pilgrim of eternal Mongolia".

At two sessions of the symposium, about 20 reports were heard, some of which were devoted to the analysis and evaluation of various aspects of the scientific work of the hero of the day, including: Ts. Ishdorj (Mongolia) " Some concepts in the scientific works of Academician Sh. Bira", G. Luvsantseren "Academician Sh. Bira as a Buddhist scholar", L. Khurelbaatar "Studies of Academician Sh. Bira as a Buddhist scholar". Bira of Tibetan Sources". Ts. Ishdorj traced more than 50 years of creative career of Sh. Bira in the main directions-the study of Tibetan-language historical works, research in the field of Mongolian historiography, the history of Mongolian culture and its relations with other cultures and civilizations, nomadic civilization, legal monuments, general and political history of Mongolia, including the Mongol Empire. The speaker noted a number of provisions and concepts put forward by Sh. Recently, including the historical role of the Mongol Empire in establishing ties and cultural exchange between various civilizations of Asia and Europe in the vast expanses of Eurasia, as well as new approaches to assessing the historical significance of the Mongol Empire.-

page 212
the role of Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan in the creation of the great Mongol Empire, the essence and role of Tengri ideas during the empire's existence and at the present time, the nature of the revolution of 1921, etc.

B. Sumyaa (Mongolia) in his report "Some reflections on globalization and traditional culture" expressed his thoughts on various interpretations of the content of the modern concept of "globalization" and various variants of its equivalent translation into Mongolian (for example, "delhiichlel", "dayaarshil", etc.), on the contribution of S. Bira to the interpretation of this concept in connection with the conquests of Genghis Khan. Using the example of Mongolia, the speaker showed the contradictory nature of the current globalization process. Based on the results of sociological studies conducted among Mongolian youth in recent years, B. Sumyaa drew attention to such negative consequences of the influence of modern globalization on the development of traditional Mongolian culture as the erosion of many of the best traditions of nomadic culture (ease of treatment, cordiality, hospitality, respect for elders, etc.), the decline in the interest of modern youth in traditional Mongolian values and excessive, in his opinion, fascination with Western pop culture, etc.

The well-known American political scientist and Mongolian scholar A. Campy (USA), recently elected president of the American Society "Mongolia", in her report "The policy of the US government in support of Mongolia's development in the 1990s and its impact on traditional Mongolian culture" critically analyzed the evolution of the strategy of this policy since 1990. According to her, in the early years, a strategic mistake was made, when due to the lack of competence of some advisers, the main amount of American aid was directed primarily to solving acute social problems in cities (unemployment, poverty, etc.), and the socio-economic situation of the rural population, especially livestock breeders, was not given due attention and assistance. In the future, this error, according to her, was corrected.

The report of V. V. Graivoronsky (Russia)" Nomadism and development of the social sphere in modern Mongolia " was devoted to the analysis of the content of the problem of nomadism at the present stage and its impact on the development of the social sphere. According to the speaker, at present, the country lacks the necessary, primarily economic, prerequisites for solving the problem of nomadism in full, so a hasty formulation of the issue of forced transformation of traditional pasture-nomadic animal husbandry and the nomadic lifestyle of livestock breeders is fraught with serious political, economic and other consequences.

Some problems of the development of traditional Mongolian culture and state policy in this area at the present stage were analyzed in the reports of Kimura Ayaako (Japan) "Traditional Mongolian national culture", Sharada K. Soni (India) "Development of traditional culture in modern Mongolia", O. Lhagva (Mongolia) "Quantum Physics and the Secret of the Great Steppe Civilization", etc. The last report attracted special attention of the audience because it was an original attempt by nuclear physicist O. Lhagwa to explain some of the" secrets " of the nomadic civilization of Mongolia and the Great Steppe using the theory of quantum physics.

The report of the Vice-President of the University of Inner Mongolia (China)also attracted great interest Hoggiltu "On the threat to the languages of small ethnic minorities in the era of globalization". Based on UNESCO data, he outlined the general language situation in the world. Currently, there are about 6 thousand people in the world. languages spoken mainly by small ethnic minorities, including 25% with a population of less than 11 thousand people. According to experts ' forecasts, about half of the existing languages of small ethnic minorities are doomed to assimilation and disappearance. The speaker spoke about how the world scientific community, concerned about this danger, is taking measures to preserve these languages. As for the prospects of the Mongolian language in modern China, according to Hogjiltu, it is not in danger of extinction.

Japanese historian Oka Hiroki devoted his report to the analysis of some of the little-studied problems of the Manchu state system that existed in Outer Mongolia during the Qing Empire.

Zh. Boldbaatar in his report "On the issue of traditions and innovations in public policy in Mongolia" focused on the peculiarities of the formation and development of public policy in Mongolia at various stages of history, the relationship between politics and science, and the role of scientists in the development of foreign and domestic public policy.

page 213
The events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Academician Sh. Bira have clearly shown that he enjoys great and well-deserved respect and authority both among the scientific community of his country and abroad. He is an example of a real academic scientist with a world-wide reputation, who has achieved wide recognition due to his dedication to science, many years of hard work, and a wide audience erudition and deep knowledge.

It was also noteworthy that most of the foreign Mongolian scholars from China, Japan, India and South Korea who participated in the symposium made their reports in the Mongolian language, which is gradually expanding its scope. This should probably be taken into account by all Russian Mongolian scholars when preparing for similar international conferences and symposia organized in Mongolia.

The symposium also showed that history, philology, cultural studies and other social sciences in Mongolia continue to develop rapidly, their theoretical and methodological level is improving, a large number of various academic and university publications, monographs, collections of articles are published, new approaches and ideas are put forward and discussed, and international conferences on topical issues of social studies are regularly held.

Permanent link to this publication: