Mongolia calls on Russia and other countries to return antiquities

According to the Mongolian government's statement, important artifacts include a letter from the first Mongolian prime minister declaring independence from the Qing dynasty in China, which is now kept at the British Library in London.

Mongolia also wants to reclaim artifacts related to Persian statesman Rashid al-Din, who worked in the court of several Mongol rulers in Persia in the 13th and 14th centuries. These items are kept at the Edinburgh Museum (UK), according to Reuters.

Statue of Genghis Khan on horseback in Mongolia

In recent decades, many countries, including former colonies of European empires, have demanded the return of cultural and historical artifacts that were taken years ago. Many of these artifacts are held in museums and these institutions are reluctant to give up their collections.

Mongolia has made some progress in reclaiming its cultural artifacts. Earlier this year, the United States returned dinosaur fossils that had been smuggled out of Mongolia, including the skull of an Alioramus, a smaller version of the Tyrannosaurus rex that lived 70 million years ago.

At a forum in Russia last week, Mongolian Culture Minister Nomin Chinbat also asked Moscow for help in identifying and returning artifacts sent to Russia for research and restoration 100 years ago. The list includes artifacts from the 2,000-year-old Xiongnu empire that were excavated by Russian explorer Pyotr Kozlov at the Noyon Uul mausoleum in the 1920s.

“I thank the countries that have supported Mongolia in this important work so far and look forward to working with more international partners on these important initiatives in the spirit of friendship and mutual respect,” said Chinbat.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/mong-co-keu-goi-nga-va-cac-nuoc-tra-lai-co-vat-185231120182931395.htm