Gold Medal of the National University of Mongolia Awarded to Czech Mongolist
On November 8, 2007, the National University of Mongolia awarded the Prof. Choi. Lubsangjab Gold Medal to PhDr. Alena Oberfalzerová, PhD. for her monograph Metaphors and Nomads (TRITON Publishing House, Prague 2006).
The National University of Mongolia offers this prize once every three years. So far the Medal has been granted three times, in 2002 to Professor Ya. Ganbaatar from the National University of Mongolia, and in 2004 to Professor Go. Jorigt from the Inner Mongolian University, PRC.
This year was the first time that a committee of Mongolian academics and researchers decided to grant this prize to a foreign Mongolist. As concerns the book for which the prize was awarded, the committee appreciated the author’s focus on spoken language and communication, her field-work among the Mongolian nomads, and a new approach to the interpretation of Mongolian culture, especially its oral tradition. The medal was handed over by the Rector of the National University of Mongolia, Prof. M. Samiyaa, at a ceremonial, which was opened by a concert featuring the Mongolian national instrument morin huur and singing by the National Artist Cerendorji. Then followed speeches by the Dean, Prof. D. Naran, daughter of the late Prof. Lubsangjab and Ambassador to Peking H.E. Dr. L. Soyombo, two of Prof. Lubsandjab’s contemporaries and pupils, and finally a speech of thanks by Dr. Alena Oberfalzerová. The ceremony was documented by Mongolian TV and among the invited guests were representatives of the Czech Embassy.
On the occasion of the ceremonial handing over of the Medal, a specialist conference was held in which a number of speakers participated: these included former laureates of the Medal, Dr. Alena Oberfalzerova herself, who gave a speech on “Zuirlel garahiin oron” (The country where metaphors originate), and twelve distinguished researchers and teachers from the National University of Mongolia and from the Mongolian Academy of Science.
After the ceremonial conclusion of the conference, Dr. Oberfalzerova had an informal meeting with Mongolian colleagues and several interviews for Mongolian TV. We value this honour granted to a Czech Mongolist by the Mongolian academic community as an expression of appreciation for Mongolian studies and for the results of our work.
