United States Ambassador to Mongolia encourages Mongolian students to be proud of their identity
While speaking to BYU–Hawaii’s Mongolian students, the United States ambassador to Mongolia Richard Buangan advised the students to “Tell your stories.” Buangan said, “Right now, all Americans know of Mongolia is Genghis Khan, but there is a Mongolia of today and that story needs to be told.”
During the discussion hosted by the Mongolia Club on Jan. 20, Buangan said through his work in Mongolia, he has observed that the Mongolian people are incredibly self-aware of their place in history. As a democratic country sandwiched between two authoritarian powers, Russia and China, they are in a very unique position, he said.
Tsetsgee Enkhbold, an alumna who graduated in business management and psychology, said she has heard rumors of their Mongolian democracy struggling through the years. “It is very hard to be entirely independent from the two countries around us,” she said. “So, as an ambassador from one of the leading democracies in the world, what can we do to fortify our democracy?”
The rumors and expressions of criticism against the government that Enkhbold has seen are a strength in Buangan’s eyes, he said. “Democracy is not perfect. It’s not clean,” he said, “but it’s the best system of government to allow voices to influence the direction it goes.” In his opinion, he said the more transparent democracies allow their systems to be, the stronger they are. “Embrace your democracy,” he advised. “Vote. Hold your elected officials accountable. Don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and ideas no matter how critical they are of the government.”
“People like me,” said Buangan, “Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, we were considered three-fifths of a person when the United States Constitution was written. That’s not something to be embarrassed by, that’s something to learn from.”
Three-fifths of a person refers to the Three-Fifths Clause in article one, section two of the Constitution of the United States, says the website Thirteen. Any person who was not free would be counted as three-fifths of a free individual, “for the purposes of determining congressional representation,” says the site. The clause “increased the political power of slaveholding states,” according to the website.
Buangan explained the many civil rights movements and additional constitutional amendments that got America to where it is today create an incredible story to tell, warts and all. He encouraged the Mongolian students to be proud of their identity, not because it is perfect or clean, but because it is strong.
Striving for peace
While admiring the beauty in democracy, Buangan also recognized the need for other countries. He said he was in China for work in 2008. “It was a country I had long admired, but one that my country’s government is deeply suspicious of,” he said. While there, he said he realized he loved Chinese people and culture.
“I hope and pray that someday our two countries can learn to work together, because there are a lot of problems that cannot be solved without the U.S. and China working together,” he said. That is not a popular thing to say in his profession, acknowledged Buangan, but he said those who are able and willing to travel and interact with others can build bridges.
BYUH President John S. K. Kauwe III said one of the founding ideas of BYUH is to learn how to be an example to the world and build peace internationally. “That’s a grand experiment in a world that’s really struggling to have peace. We’re not perfect at it,” he said, and then added with a grin, “But we are really good.”
Reaching the world
Mongolia’s economy is based on commodities, said Baska Purevochir, an alumnus who graduated in business management with a concentration in finance. He asked the ambassador how Mongolia could improve their tourism and bring more visitors from the United States.
“I think a reason why Mongolia is not very high on the list of places to visit is because there aren’t any direct flights,” said Buangan. With a more developed tourist industry focused on marketing what Mongolia has to offer, such as fly fishing and other outdoor experiences, Buangan said he thinks there will be more of a demand to visit Mongolia.
Another way to increase that demand, said Buangan, is for Mongolians to tell their stories. “When you interact with an American, whether that’s shopping or walking down the street or meeting someone on the bus, you are establishing a connection and you are telling a story. Exhibit the values that make Mongolia shine.”
Buangan is from San Diego, California, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, and speaks French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.