- A Joint Initiative of the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) and the Diluv Hutughtu Foundation (DHF)
- Culminating Year: 2026 — marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence and contributing toward the 40th anniversary of U.S.–Mongolia diplomatic relations in 2027
Project Overview
Khutughtu and Lattimore: Legacy Beyond Borders is a multidisciplinary cultural and academic initiative led by the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) and the Diluv Hutughtu Foundation (DHF). The project explores the historic friendship between Diluv Khutughtu Jamsrangjab, a prominent Mongolian Buddhist leader and statesman, and Owen Lattimore, a pioneering American scholar of Mongolia and Inner Asia.
Through exhibitions, scholarly collaboration, community engagement, and archival preservation, the initiative brings renewed attention to their shared vision, spiritual diplomacy, and early people-to-people connections that helped shape Mongolia’s engagement with the United States during the twentieth century.
By digitizing and translating rare archival materials, fostering academic dialogue, and engaging diverse audiences through public programs and outreach, the project seeks to preserve shared heritage while strengthening cultural understanding between Mongolia and the United States. At its core, the initiative promotes intergenerational learning and highlights the enduring relevance of historical friendship in building contemporary international collaboration.
Core Project Components
International Exhibition
12 May – 12 June 2026
Ulaanbaatar | National Museum of Mongolia
Khutughtu and Lattimore: Legacy Beyond Borders
A bilingual exhibition presenting rare photographs, correspondence, manuscripts, maps, and cultural artifacts from Mongolian and international archives. The exhibition illuminates the remarkable friendship between the two figures and highlights their contributions to early U.S.–Mongolia engagement, cultural exchange, educational cooperation, and people-to-people ties.
International Symposium
12-13 May 2026
Ulaanbaatar | National Museum of Mongolia
Faith, Scholarship, and Statecraft: The Enduring Legacy of Owen Lattimore and Diluv Khutughtu
An interdisciplinary gathering of Mongolian and international scholars examining Buddhism, diplomacy, scholarship, and cultural exchange in modern Mongolian history through the legacy of Diluv Khutughtu and Owen Lattimore.
Community Outreach
12-13 May 2026
Uliastai, Zavkhan
Oral history | Public Lectures | Site Visits
Community-centered activities in Diluv Khutughtu’s homeland, including a traveling mini-
exhibition, public lectures, youth storytelling workshops, and oral history documentation with local elders, ensuring local participation and intergenerational knowledge sharing.
Project Partners:
•National Museum of Mongolia • National Library of Mongolia •Zavkhan Province Administration • U.S. Embassy in Mongolia •Gamma Photo Agency
Archival Partners:
• Library of Congress • Johns Hopkins University • University of Pennsylvania • Harvard University • Yale University and collaborating institutions and scholars
Why This Project Matters?
By revisiting the intellectual and spiritual friendship between Diluv Khutughtu and Owen Lattimore, the project strengthens cultural dialogue, preserves shared heritage, and celebrates the enduring partnership between Mongolia and the United States. It demonstrates how historical relationships continue to inspire contemporary academic cooperation, cultural exchange, and meaningful people-to-people connections.
Contact: info@mongoliacenter.org