蒙古通过《博物馆法》

(English version below)

1月29日，蒙古议会批准了第一部《博物馆法》，为保存和推广珍贵藏品、提高博物馆服务质量和增强博物馆的经济和社会功能创造了有利环境。

作为文化遗产的重要宝库，博物馆提倡尊重文化多样性。作为获取文化知识的途径以及正规学习、非正式学习和终身学习的中心，博物馆有助于相互理解、对话、提升创造力和社会凝聚力，推动经济和人类发展。

几个世纪以来，蒙古游牧民族孕育了自己的文化和传统，拥有自己保护文化遗产的方式。博物馆学家们认为，蒙古国的第一个博物馆可以追溯到19世纪，当时德高望重的都立堆提恩·丹曾拉布杰（Dulduityn Danzanravjaa）为哈玛林寺（Khamariin Khiid）举行了落成典礼，以记录吉瓦·达尔贾阿林寺（Givaa Darjaaling）的稀有珍贵雕像，供公众展览。

1924年，蒙古国家博物馆在首都乌兰巴托建立，这是蒙古国的第一个现代博物馆。它的建立为蒙古全面发展博物馆体系奠定了基石。目前，全国共有36家国有和地方博物馆，以及越来越多的大学博物馆和博物馆机构。近几十年来，随着私人博物馆的开放，保护文化遗产的机构不断增多。全国各地的博物馆在保护、储存和分享蒙古独特的遗产方面发挥着重要作用。这展现了蒙古人民保护和展示其辉煌历史遗产的决心和自豪感。

由于对博物馆专业人员的职业技能和认证知识的需求日益增长，联合国教科文组织在过去十年里一直与蒙古利益攸关方合作，向博物馆提供技术和财政援助，重点建设博物馆管理机制、优化物品存放和展览、安全与保密，加强教育、通信和营销方面的人力资源建设和机构能力培养。

教科文组织的规范性重点工作还为全面审查和评估蒙古与博物馆有关的法律法规铺平了道路，促成了在联合国教科文组织/日本信托基金项目期间制定的具体政策建议，鼓励政府找到差距，发现需求，采取相应行动。

经过多年的工作和磋商，蒙古国最终通过了一部专门的《博物馆法》。该法制定了博物馆运营的法律框架，解决了过去存在的法律法规空白和冗杂的问题，使其与现有立法保持一致，并对蒙古国的博物馆可持续发展提供支持。

根据联合国教科文组织在2015年通过的《关于保护和加强博物馆与收藏及其多样性和社会作用的建议书》，为了确保所有人都能获得并参与文化活动，新批准的《博物馆法》规定，全国16岁以下儿童免费入场。博物馆的安全和灾害预防也是重点之一。需要采取相应的措施确保计划和行动落实到位，以应对灾害和紧急情况。

联合国教科文组织计划于2月底在蒙古举行下一次“坚韧艺术”大讨论，讨论将以蒙古国在保护文化遗产方面的总体立法改革势头为基础，特别侧重于博物馆和收藏品相关议题。

Museum Law just passed in Mongolia

The first Law on Museums was approved by Mongolian Parliament on 29 January, creating a favourable environment to preserve and promote valuable collections, improve the quality of museum services and enhance the economic and social function of museums. 

As important repositories of cultural heritage, museums encourage appreciation of cultural diversity. Serving as points of access for knowledge about cultures and centres of formal, non-nformal and lifelong learning, museums also contribute to mutual understanding, dialogue, creativity and social cohesion as well as economic and human development. 

Throughout the centuries, Mongolian nomads have developed their own culture and traditions, together with ways for preserving their cultural heritage. According to museologists, the first museum in Mongolia dates back to the 19th century when High Venerable Dulduityn Danzanravjaa inaugurated the Khamariin Khiid monastery to keep records of rare and precious items of statues at Givaa Darjaaling Temple for the purposes of public display.

The establishment of the State Central Museum, the first modern museum in Ulaanbaatar in 1924 paved the way to a full-fledged museum system in Mongolia. At present, there are 36 museums in the country – among state-owned and local – as well as a growing number of university and institutional museums. With the recent opening of private museums in the last decades, the range of institutions housing cultural heritage has broadened. The museums located throughout the country play a significant role in safeguarding, storing and sharing Mongolia’s unique heritage. This demonstrates the resolve and pride of the Mongolian people in preserving and presenting their heritage from its glorious past.

With the growing need for professional skills and certified knowledge of museum professionals, UNESCO has been cooperating with Mongolian stakeholders in the past decade, providing technical and financial assistance to museums with a focus on building human and institutional capacities in museum management, enhancement of storage and exhibitions, objects security and safety, as well as education, communication and marketing. 

UNESCO’s normative focus paved also the way for an overall review and assessment of Mongolian laws and regulations pertaining to museums, resulting in concrete policy recommendations developed during a UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust project which encouraged the Government to act upon the identified gaps and needs.

After years of work and consultations Mongolia has finally adopted a dedicated Law on Museums. The law defines the legal framework of museum operations, tackles gaps and duplications in laws and regulations harmonizing provisions with existing legislation, and supports the sustainable development of Mongolian museums. 

In line with UNESCO’s 2015 Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections and in order to ensure cultural access and participation to all, the newly approved law stipulates that entrance for children under the age of 16 is free of charge across the country. Museum security and disaster preparedness is also a key focus and provisions are made to ensure that appropriate plans and operations are in place for disaster and emergency response. 

The next UNESCO ResiliArt debate planned for end-February in Mongolia, will specifically focus on museums and collections, building on the momentum generated by the advancement in Mongolia’s overall legislative reform pertaining to the protection of cultural heritage.