Minister of Education, Culture and Science Yo.Otgonbayar answers questions relating to UNESCO including in its heritage list three Mongolian items.    

Just what did UNESCO decide?    
The organization is meeting in Nairobi to discuss non material cultural heritage. It unanimously registered throat singing and the three manly sports on November 16 as part of Mongolian heritage. Falconry is being registered as a tradition in 12 countries, including Mongolia, Belgium and Arab countries. The meeting has approved for registration 48 cultural heritage items out of 147 nominations from 32 countries.     

What about UNESCO’s earlier registration of throat singing as a heritage of China?    
There is a difference. The way UNESCO explains the two registrations shows that throat singing is practiced and thriving in Mongolia but needs to be protected in China. Incidentally it is not true that any other country has got either the long song or the moriin khuuur registered as its heritage. The Moriin Khuur was registered in Mongolia’s name in 2005, and the long song was jointly registered in the name of China and Mongolia in 2007.     

How many cultural heritage items of Mongolia are now registered by UNESCO?    
We have recommended 10 items but only three have been registered — two in the name of Mongolia alone and one jointly with China.