Mongolia

The Mongolian children’s writer Dashdondog Jamba, first heard about IBBY in the 1960s. He approached Mongolian Government institutions many times to ask for their support so that Mongolia could become a member of IBBY but the Government considered institutions like IBBY that were founded in the capitalist system could not be useful for young people in communist countries such as Mongolia. It was not until the 1990s, when the communist system had collapsed in Mongolia and a democratic system was put in its place, that there was an opportunity to raise again the issue of IBBY membership.

In 1991 Dashdondog Jamba held a fellowship at the International Youth Library (IJB) in Munich and became well informed about IBBY. In 1998 when he was the chairperson of the Mongolian National Children’s Writers’ Center he established a local branch of the Mongolian National Section. After its foundation, Sunjidmaa Jamba visited the IJB and met many people including Leena Maissen, former Executive Director of IBBY. Upon her return she actively promoted Mongolia’s official membership to IBBY and submitted a membership application which was approved in April 2005. Sunjidmaa Jamba works as President and Executive Director of the Mongolian IBBY section, based in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia.

The Mongolian section of IBBY (MBBY) has organized different promotion activities for children’s literature and reading in Mongolia since its initial establishment in 1998. MBBY cooperates closely with children’s writers, illustrators, publishers, and librarians, translators of children’s book, teachers and parents, many of which are members of the section.

Over the past few years MBBY has published 108 picture books – Mongolian national fairy tales and stories written by modern authors. These books, together with other children’s books, have been read by hundreds of children in rural as well as urban area of Mongolia thanks to the mobile library that was initiated and is run by Mr Dashdondog. The Mobile Library received the IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award in 2006.

Every year the section organizes different activities and events for the Anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, and celebrates International Children's Book Day. In 2005-2006 we organized a TV-book event for the 200 anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen. The programme was voted by the public as the best TV programme!

We have also created award called “Wise at book” for children who read and like books.

MBBY has had several joint activities with IBBY, including workshops for librarians and teachers as well as seminars led by artist Beatriz Vidal to attract and encourage local illustrators of children’s book with co-funding by the IBBy-Yamada Fund.