At its 79th session, held on June 3, 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "World Horse Day" resolution, which was initiated by the President of Mongolia.

In accordance with this resolution, the Government of Mongolia approved a resolution on March 25, 2026, to celebrate World Horse Day.

To mark the occasion, the International Scientific Conference “Mongolian Nomads and Horses” was held at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum on July 6, 2026. The conference serves as the opening event for the series of activities being organized in Mongolia to celebrate World Horse Day for the first time.

Academician S. Chuluun, Director of the Chinggis Khaan National Museum and organizer of the conference, stated that “Launching the UN World Horse Day celebrations with an international scientific conference grounded in research is an important step in highlighting the historical foundation of this holiday, which was initiated by Mongolia.”

Opening the conference, J. Aldarjavkhlan, Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth, said that Mongolia has long been a major center of nomadic civilization and is home to some of the world's oldest evidence of horse culture. This is demonstrated by artistic depictions of horses in ancient rock art and monuments, as well as archaeological discoveries showing that horse organs were regarded as prestigious food offerings presented to ancestors in ancient burials. Although this international conference is being held in Mongolia for the first time, he emphasized that it should be expanded and organized regularly in the future.

Around 30 researchers from Mongolia, England, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Japan presented the results of their studies on the historical traditions of horse culture in Mongolian and regional nomadic civilizations, traditional horse-related artifacts and craftsmanship, the role of horses in trade and economic relations, and horse genetics. The conference also featured research conducted from regional and international perspectives, extending beyond Mongolia.

The conference was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, the Centre for Mongolian Studies at the University of Cambridge, and the National Naadam Festival Organizing Committee. During the opening ceremony, a message from the President of Mongolia was delivered by Presidential Advisor B. Sergelen, who emphasized that the participation of distinguished Mongolian and international scholars reflects Mongolia's strong commitment to celebrating, preserving, and promoting World Horse Day worldwide and highlights the conference's significant scientific value.

The conference will continue for two days. Participants will also visit the “Leading Horse of the 20th Century” Horse Museum in Bayantsagaan soum, Tuv Province, where they will learn about contemporary horse husbandry practices in the region and explore how Mongolia's horse-related cultural traditions have been preserved.