Report of the 65th Anniversery Annual General Meeting, 2026
The Mongolia Society’s 65th Annual Meeting & Panels was held October 2-3, 2026, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. The event wasa sponsored by The Mongolia Society, Western Washington University, Mr. Tony Ettinger and the Mongol American Cultural Association.
This year’s meeting honored Professor Henry G. Schwarz, Professor Emeritus at Western Washington University, whose scholarship, teaching, and institutional leadership have shaped the field of Mongolian Studies for more than half a century.
Professor Henry G. Schwarz
The main campus of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, sits on a hill that directly overlooks Bellingham Bay. Bellingham Bay opens up into the larger Salish Sea, which is the overarching marine basin surrounding the area.
The Mongolia Society’s 65th Anniversary Annual General Meeting took place in the Viking Union, located near the University Library on the main campus.
As President Michael Klecheski and Prof. Melissa Chakars discovered in the images below, the walk to and through the Viking Union building includes amazing views of the Bay.
Tour of Western Washington University's Mongolian Collections
Friday, October 2, 2026 | 8:30–9:30 a.m.
The Annual Meeting began on Friday morning with a curated tour of Western Washington University's library holdings on Mongolia and the Mongols, led by Prof. Munkhchimeg (Chimgay) Tserendorj. Held in the university's Wilson Library, the tour introduced participants to the institution's Mongolian Studies collections, highlighting an important scholarly resource and Western Washington University's longstanding involvement in the field.
President Klecheski presenting a copy of Occasional Papers No. 30 (2025) to Prof. Chimgay Tserendoj.
Prof. Chimgay Tserendorj and Pres. Klecheski
Prof. Chimgay introduces conference participants to the Mongolian Studies collections at the WWU Library.
Prof. Chimgay Tserendorj and conference participants
Prof. Chimgay Tserendorj and conference participants
Books Prof. Tserendorj selected for review
Prof. Charlotte D'Evelyn and Mr. Batorgil Batjargal examining selected texts.
Books Prof. Tserendorj selected for review
Books Prof. Tserendorj selected for review
(Left to right) Elaine, Tseren, Prof. Melissa Chakars, and Mr. Bill Bikales
Ms. Susie Drost and Melissa Chakars
Opening Ceremony and Tribute to Professor Henry G. Schwarz
Friday, October 2, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
The Mongolia Society’s 65th Anniversary Annual Meeting opened on Friday morning at Western Washington University with a special session honoring Professor Emeritus Henry G. Schwarz, whose distinguished career as a scholar, teacher, and former president of the Society has contributed greatly to the development of Mongolian Studies in the United States.
The session began with welcoming remarks by Mongolia Society President Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Klecheski, followed by addresses from His Excellency Batbayar Ulziidelger, Ambassador of Mongolia to the United States, and Dr. Brad Johnson, Provost and Executive Vice President of Western Washington University.
The morning continued with a tribute to Professor Schwarz, chaired by Dr. Mark Greenberg of Western Washington University. Three scholarly presentations explored subjects reflecting Schwarz’s wide-ranging intellectual interests and contributions to the field.
Professor T. Erdene-Ochir of the National University of Mongolia presented “Metaphor, Culture, and Social Reality: A Cognitive-Cultural Perspective on Contemporary Mongolian Political Discourse.” Dr. Alicia Campi, an independent scholar, contributed a paper titled “Conflicting Cultural and Economic Images of Nomads in Democratic Mongolia’s Development,” which was read on her behalf by Ambassador Klecheski. Professor Christopher Atwood of the University of Pennsylvania joined virtually to present “Henry Schwarz and Summer Mongolian in Höhhot,” reflecting on an important chapter in the development of Mongolian language education.
Together, the opening remarks and presentations provided a fitting beginning to a meeting that celebrated both the Society’s 65th anniversary and Professor Schwarz’s enduring contributions to Mongolian Studies.
