Initiated by the “Council of Mongolians Abroad” NGO and held under the auspices of the President of Mongolia, the inaugural Global Mongolians Festival was successfully organized on June 28, 2025 at the picturesque Bois de la Cambre park in the heart of Brussels, capital of the Kingdom of Belgium.
According to the website of the Embassy of Mongolia to the Kingdom of Belgium, the festival brought together around 5,000 Mongolian citizens from more than 30 countries, and attracted over 10,000 local and international visitors.
The event was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Mongolian diplomatic missions in European countries, NGOs established abroad by Mongolian citizens, the Mongolian National Wrestling Federation, the Mongolian National Archery Association, the Mongolian National Knucklebone (Shagai) Shooting Association, and representatives of the arts and culture community.
Ambassadors based in Brussels, as well as representatives of the leadership of the European Union and other international organizations, also took part.
The festival—one of the largest Mongolian celebrations ever held in Europe—featured 128 wrestlers, 60 archers, and 250 competitors in knucklebone (shagai) shooting, who came to test their strength, skill, and marksmanship.
Alongside the competitions, visitors enjoyed Mongolian cuisine, an expo and marketplace for products from small and medium enterprises, sales of handicrafts and artworks, consular and social-insurance services, and information and advisory desks from government agencies.
Aimed at passing Mongolian culture and tradition to future generations and promoting them to the world, the festival’s stage program featured many community-based bands and performers from across Europe, as well as popular singers A. Khishigdalai and Naki. The evening show was headlined by the “Uukhai” band—renowned worldwide for its distinctive sound—which presented a full-length concert.
