ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Government of Mongolia and UNESCO to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Mongolia becoming a member of the organisation.

The MoU, which runs to 2029 and underlines the Government of Mongolia's and UNESCO's shared ambition on education, science, culture and digital transformation, was signed during a visit to Mongolia by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay, who is currently in the country for the Naadam festival.

Key commitments in the MoU will help to support the delivery of Mongolia's New Recovery Policy and Vision 2050, which focus on turning the country into a leading regional power by the middle of the century:

• Enhancing Mongolia's education system: through improving the quality of and access to technical and vocational qualification, supporting the development of a national qualification framework for higher education, joint development and delivery of lifelong learning pathways and promoting the digital transformation of the education sector
• Unlocking the opportunities provided by science: through increasing investment in science and technology, supporting the development of research universities, facilitating greater knowledge transfer in the science sector and enabling the establishment and development of innovation infrastructure regions such as science and technology parks and free economic zones and related technology-based businesses
• Showcasing Mongolia's unique culture and heritage: through strengthening capacity to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural artefacts, promoting Mongolia's museums, removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to the development of Mongolia's cultural and creative industries and increasing the level of youth engagement with Mongolia's rich cultural heritage

This year's Naadam Festival was officially opened by Mongolia's President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh on Monday. Naadam was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Commenting, Mongolia's Minister of Culture, Nomin Chinbat, said: "This landmark partnership between the Government of Mongolia and UNESCO will help to better safeguard our country's cultural heritage whilst allowing Mongolians to take advantage of the opportunities of the future.

"Whether it's in relation to education, science or promoting greater use of digital technology, the commitments in this agreement will play a key role in delivering on the aims of Vision 2050 and the New Recovery Policy."