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CHIMEDE TUMENDEMBEREL
Mongolian Poet, Writer, Cultural Figure and Literary Organizer
Chimede Tumendemberel was born in Ulaangom, Uvs Province, Mongolia, as the eldest daughter of Chimed.
She is a member of the World Organization of Writers (WOW) and President of the World Academy of Mongolian Writers. She also serves as a representative of the Eurasian and African countries’ National Assembly in the international flash mob entitled “We Are People of One Planet” and was a delegate to the Second World Congress of Writers, held under the motto “For the Service of Humanity.”
She holds the distinction of Mongolian Honoured Artist (МУСТА) and the title of ХААТА. Her literary and cultural achievements have been recognized through numerous awards and distinctions, including:
First Prize at the 2018 Morin Khuur Festival for Songwriting.
The White Merit of Books Award from the Writers’ Union of Shiliin Gol, Inner Mongolia.
The Medal commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Buryatia, Russian Federation.
The D. Natsagdorj Gold Medal, awarded by the World Mongolian Nomadic Heritage and Cultural Association.
Literary Works and Publications
Chimede Tumendemberel has authored and contributed to numerous poetry collections, collaborative publications, and musical-literary projects. Her books include:
1. A World That Can Do Without Me – a poetry collection accompanied by a CD.
2. The Beloved of Dreams and the Ornament of the Heart – a pair of books.
3. Waves of Love – a poetry collection.
4. Heavenly Sons Bearing the Decrees of Their Ancestors – an anthology featuring 57 poets, dedicated to the young men immortalized on Mount Everest.
5. Lines of Poetry Flavoured with Milk.
6. The Girl with Words as Sweet as Sugar.
7. The Hymn of Kalmykia.
8. Eastern Melodies, Volumes 3 and 4.
9. Blue Frost.
10. The Legendary White Mountain.
11. Homeland – a book dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of D. Natsagdorj, in which she participated as a producer.
She has also contributed as a producer to several other literary publications and collaborative projects.
Music and Literary Activities
In addition to her literary work, Tumendemberel has written more than ten songs, demonstrating her creative engagement with both poetry and music.
She is also an active organizer of international Mongolian literary events. She organized the “Mongolian Century” International Poetry Festival, bringing together poets from the wider Mongolian cultural world.
Her festival achievements include:
Third Prize at the Nairgiin Satsal Poetry Festival in Inner Mongolia.
Fourth Prize at the Erkhin Sonet Festival dedicated to the poetry of R. Choinom.
Through her poetry, songwriting, publishing activities, and cultural initiatives, Chimede Tumendemberel contributes to preserving and promoting Mongolian literary heritage while building connections among writers and readers across national borders.
About the Book: A World That Can Do Without Me (2019)
Published in Ulaanbaatar in 2019, A World That Can Do Without Me is Chimedii Tumendemberel’s first poetry collection, devoted to the theme of love.
The title invites readers to reflect on the relationship between the individual and the wider world, suggesting questions of belonging, emotional existence, and the place each person occupies in the lives of others. Through the intimate language of love poetry, the collection opens a window into the poet’s emotional world, expressing tenderness, affection, and the delicate experiences of the human heart.
The book represents an important milestone in Tumendemberel’s literary journey, bringing together her poetic sensibility and personal reflections. It introduces readers to a Mongolian poetic voice whose work draws inspiration from human relationships and the universal language of love. Published by Naran Zon Print, Ulaanbaatar, 2019.
قصائد
العشق
ترجمة شعرية عن المنغولية
حين تحدّق في عينيَّ بعينين يشعّ منهما الحب، لا أستطيع أن أصرف نظري عنك، فأذوب فيك. وحين تضمّني بحنان، وتهمس في أذني بكلمات الحب، يخيّل إليّ أن العالم بأسره لا يتّسع إلا لنا، نحن الاثنين.
حين تداعبني بقلبٍ عاشقٍ مفعمٍ بالوجد، يتوارى صوتي، وأذوب فيك بكل كياني. قلبي الذي يخفق متسارعًا لا يتوق إلا إليك، وعلى ذروة الرغبة والعشق تسكرني بحبك.
إنها أغنيات العشق التي تليّن قلبينا، وحكايات الحب الخالدة التي تعلّمنا أسراره. وقصائد تشوينوم التي تجهر بالحقيقة والإنصاف، فليس في هذا الكون من يظلّلنا سوى سماء الحب.
—
Love
Poetic translation from Mongolian
When you gaze at me with eyes aglow with love,
I cannot turn away; I dissolve into you.
When you hold me close and whisper words of tenderness,
The whole wide world seems to belong to just us two.
When you tease me with a heart stirred by desire,
My voice falls silent; I melt into your embrace.
My racing heart longs for you and you alone,
And at love’s highest peak, you intoxicate my soul.
The songs of love and passion soften both our hearts,
And legendary tales teach us the ways of love.
Choïnom’s poems speak the truth with fearless honesty,
For only love’s own heaven watches over us.
نقوش الروح
على الصخر كتابةٌ،
يقولون إنها الروح.
هل يمكن لزهور الروح
أن تتفتح في الشتاء؟
والعجيب أنها
لم تتجمّد!
الحياة مجرّد قوس قزح
يتلوّن في السماء،
أترانا نراه
هناك… في البعيد؟
النار…
—
Inscriptions of the Soul
There is an inscription on the stone;
They say it is the soul.
Could the flowers of the soul
Blossom in winter?
Strangely enough,
They never froze.
Life is merely a rainbow
Shimmering across the sky.
Perhaps it lies somewhere,
Far away…
Fire…
