STORY: Mongolia's national holiday Naadam kicks off
SHOOTING TIME: July 11, 2024
DATELINE: July 11, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:15
LOCATION: Ulan Bator
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. vairous of Mongolia's national holiday Naadam

STORYLINE:

Mongolia's national holiday, Naadam, began on Thursday with a grand and splendid opening ceremony showcasing the country's history, traditions, art and culture.
   
Inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, this traditional festival is celebrated annually from July 11 to July 15.
   
Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Parliament Speaker Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan, Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, cabinet and parliament members, honored foreign guests, as well as thousands of citizens attended the grand opening ceremony of the Naadam at the National Sports Stadium in the country's capital Ulan Bator.
   
"Naadam is a trinity celebration of Father Heaven, Mother Earth, and the precious people. It embodies the memory of the Mongolian state, symbolizes the unity and independence of the Mongolian people, and reflects the strength of our spirit and existence as Mongolians with an ancient history," Khurelsukh said at the opening ceremony.
   
The festival, also known as the "Three Manly Games," features wrestling, archery and horse racing.
      
The fourth element of Naadam is shagain kharvaa, or "ankle bone shooting," a game played with preserved sheep ankle bones used like dice.
   
It is impossible to imagine the festival without the main food and drink of this holiday, khuushuur and airag. The khuushuur is a crispy, deep-fried flat dumpling, while the airag is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk.
   
Naadam, which means "games" in the Mongolian language, is also the most widely watched festival for overseas tourists in the Asian country.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ulan Bator.
(XHTV)