The opening ceremony of the Northeast Asian Institute of Ethnic History and Culture was held in the Inner Mongolia Normal University (IMNU), on Dec 8.  

Yun Guohong, president of IMNU, extended warm welcome and sincere gratitude to the officials, experts and scholars attending the event. He said that Northeast Asia has always attracted worldwide attention for its geopolitical significance. 

“The region has been the main birthplace of ethnic minorities in northern China since ancient times. The establishment of the institute is of far-reaching significance in the protection and inheritance of the nation’s cultural heritage of ethnic minorities,” said Yun. 

Meng Songlin, president of the Northeast Asian Institute of Ethnic History and Culture, delivered a speech. He mentioned that the Institute is an innovative platform for sincere cooperation between IMNU and the Institute of Ethnic History and Culture of Hulunbuir College. 

The Institute will attract research talents from across the region and form a strong scientific research team. It is expected to integrate resources from and conduct research projects among relevant universities and research institutions at home and abroad, probing into the origin, development, migration and exchanges of northeastern ethnic minorities, according to Meng. 

Ethnology is one of IMNU's most characteristic and advantageous disciplines. Since the 1950s, the academics in the university have carried out a series of ethnographic teaching, scientific research, and talent cultivation. 

In 2015, the Higher Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology was established at the school, and in 2016, IMNU cooperated with the Institute of Ethnic Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the National Folk Literature and Art Development Center of the State Ministry of Culture to establish an institute of intangible cultural heritage. 

At present, there are five second-level disciplines in ethnology, and one second-level master's degree in ethnic tourism has been independently established. 

The Northeast Asian Institute of Ethnic History and Culture will utilize Northeast Asia’s rich cultural resources and strengthen collaboration with both domestic and foreign scientific research institutes and organizations so as to contribute to a better Northeast Asia and a community of shared future for all mankind.

The opening ceremony of the Northeast Asian Institute of Ethnic History and Culture is held in the Inner Mongolia Normal University (IMNU) on Dec 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Yun Guohong, president of IMNU, gives a speech at the event. He said that the establishment of the institute is of far-reaching significance in the protection and inheritance of the nation’s cultural heritage of ethnic minorities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]