“We are now able to  diagnose livestock  brucellosis at world standards” said State Central Veterinary Laboratory Director Ch. Ganzorig.

“This means we are making a step forward in improving food security for consumers and are safeguarding public health issues.”

The MNT 200 million (CHF 100,000) laboratory was backed with international expertise and trainings for laboratory staff.

“We received numerous trainings by international experts on using the cutting-edge technologies and equipment in brucellosis diagnosis thanks to support from the Swiss-funded Animal Health Project,” said bacteriologist J. Munkhgerel.

Ms Munkhgerel said the state-of-art diagnosis of brucellosis would help to improve the national brucellosis control strategy. “It will also help to eliminate human brucellosis in the future.”

SDC in Mongolia’s Head of Programme Daniel Valenghi said: “It is a part of the technical assistance from the Swiss Government to Mongolia in reforming the veterinary sector. With the collaboration in improving Mongolia’s diagnostic system, we envision a dramatic drop in the incidence of human brucellosis, which is currently about five percent of the entire population.”

More about the SDC's Animal health project in Mongolia 

The festival provided a platform for aspiring young national and international filmmakers to experiment with alternative cinema and showcase their talents to the world.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) funded the 2015 festival as part of its cultural and arts grants, contributing to the development of Mongolia’s rich and diverse artistic and cultural heritage. 

The Golden Reel Association has been organising the avant-garde film festival for the past three years. This year, it expanded its horizons by inviting international filmmakers to take part in the event, attracting more than 200 submissions from 20 countries. 

Distinguished avant-garde cinema luminaries Peter Tscherkassky from Austria and Eve Heller from the US were on the jury, along with prominent Mongolian directors Byamba Sakhia and Jigjidsuren Gombojav, and Golden Reel Association Director Enkhbat Natsagdorj. 

Tscherkassky's new short film, The Exquisite Corpse, which was awarded a special prize at Cannes in 2015, inspired young Mongolian filmmakers during master classes on experimental filmmaking. 

Tscherkassky commended the Mongolian filmmakers' ability and accomplishments, and praised their efforts in creating a unique Mongolian cinematic identity by pushing the boundaries of conventional forms of filmmaking and fostering avant-garde and experimental films in Mongolia.