In his address marking the beginning of the Year of the Wooden Snake, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa extended Lunar New Year greetings to the people of Mongolia and Mongols living all across the world.

“Dear citizens,

Dear fellow Mongolians residing in different countries around the world,

I extend my warmest wishes on the Lunar New Year celebration of the 17th cycle, the “Eldev Erdenet” Year of the Wooden Snake. In keeping with our time-honored state customs and the traditions of our people, we bid farewell to the old year, welcome the auspicious new year, speak words of wholesome meaning, engage in virtuous deeds, offer blessings for enduring fortune, overcome the harsh winter in peace, and greet the early spring with optimism. I hope you are all celebrating the Lunar New Year with joy.

Since ancient times, we Mongols have revered Father Sky and Mother Earth, worshiping our mountains and waters, observing the stars and planets, and aligning our daily lives and endeavors with them. We have celebrated the Lunar New Year with grandeur, honoring and greeting our kin and our elders, and fostering unity. From the era of the Hun Empire onward, the Mongol Lunar New Year has been our nation’s New Year celebration, a time when everyone grows a year older, a festival marking renewal and the transition to spring. It is also a national celebration that symbolizes the profound cultural heritage, customs, harmony, and unity of the Mongol people.

Dear citizens,

In the passing Year of the Wooden Dragon, the population of Mongolia, whose households serve as the bedrock of state and society, grew by over 60,000 newborns, reaching a total population of 3,550,000. Owing to the diligent efforts of our herders and farmers, and to the blessings of our environment, the number of our livestock increased to 57 million, while harvests exceeded 970,000 tons.

Moreover, our national economy grew by 5 percent, foreign trade and investment increased, exports and foreign currency reserves hit historic highs, the State Budget closed in surplus, and strategic mega-projects were launched. During this powerful Dragon Year, Mongolia’s foreign policy and international relations gained further momentum on the world stage. We successfully carried out historic high-level State Visits, promoted our heritage, culture, and achievements worldwide, and experienced a pinnacle of international cooperation.

My fellow citizens,

Mongols living across the globe,

When Great Emperor Chinggis Khaan proclaimed the Mongol State, he designated the First Month of Spring, the Month of the Tiger, as the beginning of the year, thus initiating our centuries-long tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year as a State Festival. The Mongol Lunar New Year is a symbol of our nation’s pride and spirit, our independence and unity, our cultural heritage, and our fortune. In order to safeguard, preserve, disseminate, and pass down to future generations the magnificent history, culture, and traditions of our ancestors, it brings me great pleasure on this festive occasion to highlight that the President of Mongolia has issued decrees to honor the portrait of Great Emperor Chinggis Khaan, restore the ancient capital city of Kharkhorum, revere the Morin Khuur (Horse-Head Fiddle musical instrument) as a national treasure, and compile a comprehensive 30-volume history of the Mongol nation.

Additionally, to study and share our nation’s history with our people, we have produced, for the first time, a fully annotated dictionary of “The Secret History of the Mongols.” We have organized the international exhibition “Chinggis Khaan–How the Mongols Changed the World” and showcased performances of the Morin Khuur National Ensemble, Mongolia’s cultural envoys, in various countries, thereby promoting our heritage worldwide. This Lunar New Year, we ceremoniously enshrine at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum the Golden Statue of the Great Chinggis Khaan, the Great White Banner, and the Imperial Seal of the Mongols, along with the public inauguration at the Great Khaan’s Urgoo [The Royal Chamber]. Furthermore, I am pleased to announce that from the start of this year, our centuries-old Mongol script has been reinstated as the official script for public office.

Our standing Mongol script has recorded and preserved the centuries of our state traditions, forming an essential pillar of Mongol culture, intellect, and national identity. It symbolizes our status as a sovereign nation. Thus, studying and mastering this script and safeguarding our cultural heritage should be a point of pride for every Mongol. Every one of us must remember that we guard the hearth of the Great Mongol Empire established by Chinggis Khaan, remain faithful to our Great Khaan’s teachings, uphold harmony and unity, and recognize that we are one Mongol people, one nation, one family. We must think open-heartedly, and stand together, caring for, protecting, and supporting one another as we work to develop our country so that our entire population may live in peace and harmony.

May the forthcoming ‘Eldev Erdenet’ Year of the Wooden Snake bring good health and tranquility to our elders, knowledge and capability to our youth, energy and vibrancy to our children, well-being for the entire population, a firm and stable state, a pure faith, and a peaceful world. May the blessings of spirit akin to the Eternal Blue Sky and our wisdom as wide as the steppes multiply and may our collective destiny flourish. May the spirit of our people rise high, and may we all enjoy a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Under the power of Eternal Blue Sky, may Mongolia prosper for eternity!”