The visit took place on June 5–11, 2019 and was conditionally divided into two parts: June 5–8 - participation in the work of the XXIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and June 9–11 - holding of the “Days of Mongolia Culture in St. Petersburg”.
The opening of the Days of Culture of Mongolia took place on June 9 at the State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg. A concert of the Maureen Khuur ensemble, named after the national musical instrument of the same name, was given to Petersburgers, and the Ulan-Bator Today photo exhibition was presented in the Capella Gallery.
For reference: Maureen Huur, a Mongolian musical instrument, has a legendary history and is traditionally kept on the honorable northern side of the yurt. This special original instrument was named so because the upper part, the head of the neck is decorated with a horse's planed head, and a pair of strings and an arched bow are pulled from the hair of a horse’s tail, moreover, “male” is made of 130 hairs from the stallion’s tail, and “female” of 105 hairs from the tail of a mare.
The name morin huura consists of two words: "morin" - equine / sea - horse /, and "huur" - string, voice. The sound of an instrument in Mongolian poetry is compared to a horse neighing or to a wind blow in the steppe. Since ancient times, Morin Khuur has been used to accompany lingering and heroic-epic songs, dances, and also as a solo instrument. Each solo or dance piece for maureen huura is usually tied to a long tale, the plot of which is depicted when playing on it.
In the evening of June 9, a concert of Mongolian artists was also held in the Central Park of Culture and Rest named after S.M. Kirova.
On June 10 at the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the conference "St. Petersburg - the oldest center for the study of Mongolia" was held. During the conference, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, U. Enkhtuvshin, presented the Director of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Irina Popova, with the Government Medal of Friendship.
A photo exhibition was opened at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kunstkamera) dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory on the Khalkhin-Gol.
In the exhibition halls of the Commandant’s House of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the exhibition “The Country of the Blue Sky” opened. As part of the opening ceremony, representatives of the Mongolian delegation presented the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg with the painting “Friends” of the exhibition's author, artist Oylan Zhanathan. (The canvas will be accepted for permanent storage in the fund of painting of the cities of the world of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg).
Also on June 10, the meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, Mr. U. Enkhtuvshin, with the rector of St. Petersburg State University Nikolai Kropachev. During the conversation, the parties expressed mutual interest in maintaining friendly relations and developing comprehensive cooperation in the field of education. The Mongolian side handed over to the university books in the Mongolian language and a certificate for receiving funds for the development of the Center for Mongolian Studies. The parties agreed to continue work on a cooperation agreement between St. Petersburg State University and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia.