Dharamshala: The two-day Tibet-Mongol Relations Conference commenced earlier today at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives’ hall to discuss “Prospects and challenges in Tibet-Mongol relations since the 20th century, and the path forward”.

Several Tibetan and Mongolian scholars and dignitaries, including two former Mongolian ambassadors, attended the conference organised by Diluv Hutugthu Foundation (Mongolia) in collaboration with the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and Moscow-based Tibet Culture Centre (Office of Tibet).

Secretary Dawa Tsering, the Director of TPI, delivered a welcome address and expressed appreciation to guest speakers for their presence during the inaugural ceremony, which was hosted by TPI’s Deputy Director, Tenpa Gyaltsen Zamlha. Director Dawa Tsering said, “Though previous meetings of this kind have been held, this is the first formal conference between the Central Tibetan Administration and Mongolian experts”, and extended his gratitude to Representative Telo Rinpoche for his assistance in coordinating the scholars to materialise this maiden official forum. He further shared his thoughts on Tibet-Mongol relations to introduce the significance of the conference.

Representative Telo Rinpoche from the Office of Tibet, Moscow, in his keynote address, appraised the gathering about his role as a Kalmyk-born Tibetan Buddhist lama serving as a Representative at the Central Tibetan Administration. While acknowledging the historical ties between Tibet and Mongolia, the Representative called for the revival and reinvigoration of that relationship in the modern era. He further recounted the hardships that Mongolian-origin peoples of the republics of Kalmykia, Tuva, Buryatia, and both Northern and Southern Mongolia have encountered in recent history, similar to the struggles that Tibetans underwent.

Over the course of the two-day conference, the speakers will discourse on Mongolia and Tibet in 1900-1913: From Qing Dynasty Control to Independence; the declaration of Mongolia’s independence in 1911 by the 8th Jebtsun Danba; The 13th Dalai Lama’s attempt to gain recognition of Tibet’s independent political status and the significance of the Water-Ox (1913) ordination that explicitly validates Tiebt’s independent political status; Tseden Lobsan Khechuk – mystery lama from Tibet; the history of prominent Mongolian lamas in Sera Je monastery and the current state of Mongolian monks at the monastery; Mongolian Buddhist students at the Drepong Gomang Monastery since 1979; Mongolian People’s Government’s steps to establish official relations with Tibet: Duke Gombo-Idshin and his mission to Tibet (September 1926 – August 1928); significance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Mongolia in 1979 and 2016; the traditions and contemporary issues of Tibetan literary studies at the Mongolian Academy of Science; the revival of the golden relationship between the Sakya Monastic Institution and the Mongolian community; three great Mongolian (Tibetan) scholars in modern history of Tibet; and the continued influence of the Gadan Phodrang government in Jachung Monastery to this day.