In celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Canada, the Embassy of Mongolia in Canada, in collaboration with the Mongolia-Canadia Association in Quebec, the Mongolian Knuckle-bone Shooting Federation, and Groovy Yurts, a company introducing Mongolian yurts to Canada, participated in the Orientalys Festival held in Montreal from August 10 to 13, 2023. This marked their first joint participation in promoting the rich history, culture, traditions, and intellectual works of Mongolia and its people to Canadians.
During the festival, various activities took place, including the presentation and display of translated Mongolian literary works in French by translator R. Munkhzul. Artworks by painter and calligrapher V. Baatarchuluun and T. Gantulga were also exhibited. Musical performances were given by fiddler and accordionist A. Anand, H. Uuriintuya, the folk dance group “Pearl” with dancers G. Hulan, T. Haliun, and G. Sainzaya. Additionally, flute player B. Tsogtsaikhan, musician N. Bayarsaikhan, and Canadian artist Julie Rousseau brought the spirit of Mongolian music and dance to the event.
The festival also featured B. Batzorig, who demonstrated the Mongolian traditional game of knuckle-bone shooting. This game challenges the skill of precision, and the demonstration attracted a huge amount of interest from attendees.
Notable guests included Jean-Frédéric Légar Tremblay, journalist, and political analyst from LaPresse, Jeremy Le Blanc-Goutier, a doctoral student at the University of Montreal, and traveler Charles Roberge, and author of the book “Mongolia – A Wonderful Journey to the Land of Sands”. They engaged in insightful conversations, shedding light on various aspects of Mongolian life, culture, politics, and society.