Mongolia’s peace activities, which began in 2021 as voluntary gatherings of women, reached a new turning point through an encounter with the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) in 2022. In 2023, the scope of these activities expanded beyond the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to inland regions.

As more people began discussing peace in local communities, women working in different areas came together in one place. This movement led to the 1st Mongolia Peace Assembly in June 2023.

From Ulaanbaatar to Orkhon and Bulgan

From April 21 to 23, 2023, a peace seminar and the Peace Lecturer Training Education (PLTE) were held in the Orkhon region.

This marked the first attempt to expand peace activities, which had been centered in Ulaanbaatar, to inland regions. Around 30 female leaders from Orkhon and neighboring Bulgan attended to discuss ways to practice peace in their local communities, and 21 of them completed the PLTE course.

The women participating in the training agreed to put what they had learned into practice in their families and communities rather than keeping it as personal learning. They also signed a peace pledge in support of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), which calls for the permanent end of war and the establishment of a peaceful world.

As activities that began in the capital connected with women in other regions, Mongolia’s peace network gradually expanded.

Over 350 Women Gather in One Place

The peace activities that spread to regional areas led to a larger gathering two months later.

On June 20, 2023, more than 350 people—including female leaders, heads of civil society organizations, and public institution officials—attended the 1st Mongolia Peace Assembly at the Ulaanbaatar Hotel.

Held under the theme Union of Women – Light of the World, the event provided an opportunity to look back on Mongolia’s peace initiatives and discuss their future direction.

Dobudon Tsevelsuren, Representative of the Chandmani Erdene Mongolian Buddhist Meditation Center, also attended with around 100 female members. Describing peace as a noble value desired by everyone, she expressed her gratitude to IWPG for bringing so many Mongolian citizens together around the cause of peace.

Women who had been active in different regions and organizations gathered to discuss the same goal on this day. They also continued discussions on how to learn about peace and what actions they could take in their respective regions.

14 Peace Committees and 112 New Peace Lecturers

The assembly did not end as a one-day event.

On the day of the assembly, 14 new Peace Committees were established to lead peace activities across Mongolia, while MOAs and MOUs for peace cooperation were signed with nine women’s organizations and public institutions.

In addition, completion certificates were presented to 112 graduates who had completed the PLTE conducted from November 2022 to April 2023.

Even after the event ended, participants did not immediately leave. Around 40 people—including newly appointed Peace Committee heads and existing committee members—held a separate meeting to discuss activities to be carried out in each region.

Mi Sook Lim, Regional Director of IWPG Global Region 9, encouraged the leaders of the newly established Peace Committees to continue peace activities across Mongolia’s various regions.

The first Peace Assembly held in Mongolia in 2023 was more than a gathering to talk about peace. It provided an opportunity to establish new peace leaders, connect activities across regions, and prepare for future initiatives.

Another step toward remembering and commemorating peace was beginning in Mongolia.

In the next article, we will look at the establishment of the World’s 2nd IWPG Peace Monument, erected in Ulaanbaatar Citizens’ Park through the shared efforts of citizens from South Korea and Mongolia.

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