You are coordially invited to a fireside chat on Democracy Without Shelter: How Mongolia Holds the Line with Elbegdorj Tsakhia and H.R. McMaster on Friday, October 2, 2026 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. PT in Hauck Auditorium with reception to follow.
Join former president of Mongolia and Hoover Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Elbegdorj Tsakhia, and LTG (Ret.) and Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster for a timely discussion of Mr. Elbegdorj’s path from pro-democracy activist to president, and his continued work advancing democratic governance internationally. Drawing on Mongolia’s path to democracy and its resilience in a challenging regional environment, the conversation will examine practical lessons for supporting democratic movements, strengthening institutions and civic participation, and responding to authoritarian pressure.
Elbegdorj Tsakhia served as president of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. As president, he championed democratic reforms, transparency, and human rights, including abolishment of the death penalty, making Mongolia a global leader in human rights advocacy. Prior to taking this role, he was a key leader of the Mongolian Democratic Revolution and served as Mongolia’s prime minister in 1998 and again from 2004 to 2006. Elbegdorj holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Land Forces Military Academy of Lviv, Ukraine. He is a pivotal figure in peace and democracy movements across Asia. Elbegdorj spearheaded the establishment of the Asian Partnership for Democracy initiative and has engaged with global institutions such as the United Nations, the Munich Security Conference, and the Club de Madrid, where he continues to contribute to global governance and conflict resolution. He is also a member of The Elders, a group founded by Nelson Mandela to promote peace and human rights worldwide. Elbegdorj is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years. He retired as a Lieutenant General in June 2018 after serving as the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. He holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is author of the bestselling books Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. In August 2024, McMaster released his most recent book, At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House. McMaster is the host of Today's Battlegrounds and is a regular on GoodFellows, both produced by the Hoover Institution. He is a Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University.
