Every summer, Mongolians around the world gather to celebrate Naadam, Mongolia’s most cherished national festival. While the largest celebrations take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolian communities across the globe proudly continue the tradition—including here in Colorado.
Last weekend, hundreds of members of Colorado’s Mongolian community, along with friends and supporters, gathered for Denver’s annual Naadam Festival. Filled with traditional wrestling, cultural performances, children’s activities, food, music, and community celebrations, the event offered an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to experience one of Mongolia’s most important cultural traditions.
For more than two decades, Denver Sister Cities International and the Ulaanbaatar–Denver Sister Cities Committee have been honored to participate in the celebration alongside Colorado’s Mongolian community. What began years ago as a way to celebrate culture has grown into an annual gathering that reflects the deep friendships and lasting partnerships built between Colorado and Mongolia.
Those relationships extend far beyond a single day of celebration.
Over the years, Colorado and Mongolia have developed connections through student exchanges, educational programs, humanitarian initiatives, business collaborations, cultural events, and citizen diplomacy. Hundreds of Coloradans have traveled to Mongolia through Denver Sister Cities International, while countless Mongolian visitors have been welcomed to Colorado through exchanges that continue to strengthen understanding between our communities.
This year’s festival also highlighted the next generation of international friendship. During the celebration, Denver Sister Cities International had the opportunity to reconnect with Eric Eves, Director of Vail International Hockey, following his recent youth hockey exchange to Mongolia. The visit gave Colorado students the chance to experience Mongolian culture firsthand while building friendships through sport—another example of how people-to-people connections continue to strengthen the relationship between our two communities.
Naadam reminds us that international relationships are built not only through governments, but through families, students, volunteers, educators, athletes, artists, and neighbors who choose to learn from one another.
Denver is fortunate to have a vibrant Mongolian community that generously shares its traditions and heritage each year through this celebration. Events like Naadam help preserve culture while inviting the broader community to participate, learn, and build new friendships.
Denver Sister Cities International extends its sincere appreciation to the organizers, volunteers, performers, athletes, vendors, and families who made this year’s Naadam Festival such a memorable celebration. We look forward to continuing to strengthen the friendship between Denver and Ulaanbaatar for many years to come.
Interested in building international friendships?
Denver Sister Cities International connects our city with communities around the world through cultural exchange, education, youth programs, business partnerships, and citizen diplomacy.
Support future student exchanges and international programs by contributing to the Luby Jenkins Scholarship Fund at
