Buddhism in Mongolia

The programme ‘Buddhism in Mongolia’ is aimed at reviving and promoting the common cultural and religious heritage shared by Tibet and Mongolia over many centuries.

After the collapse of the Manchu influence in Mongolia a Soviet-backed communist government came into power in 1921. Gradually Buddhism declined, hundreds of monasteries were destroyed and thousands of monks were killed or exiled.

By the time of the ‘peaceful revolution’ of 1990 when Mongolia emerged free from the shackles of Communism, the Buddhist religious tradition had been practically eliminated. Under the new democratic government the public practice of religion became possible, a few monasteries reopened and new temples were built. The Mongolian people showed an extraordinary enthusiasm and determination to revive their Buddhist tradition.

It was during this crucial period that Gandan Monastery, the only surviving monastic institute, approached Tibet Foundation for help. In response the Foundation established its ‘Buddhism in Mongolia’ programme in 1993 with the main objective of helping the Mongolian people in their effort to revive and rebuild their Buddhist tradition and heritage.

In furtherance of this objective, the Foundation embarked on a series of projects including the training of young Mongolians in Buddhist monastic institutes in India, publishing Buddhist literature in the Mongolian language, introducing Buddhist textbooks for schools, supporting the preservation of their Buddhist arts, and creating an awareness of Mongolian art and culture in the West.

All our projects are managed by local educational institutes with supervision by our own field officer, Dr Phuntsok Tsering, appointed directly by Tibet Foundation in London.

Today, Tibet Foundation is recognised as the longest serving overseas British Tibetan charity helping the Mongolian people. The award below which acknowledges contributions made towards friendship and cooperation between Mongolia and Britain, was presented to a founding trustee, Phuntsog Wangyal, by the President of Mongolia in 2009.