Former President & Prime Minister, Mongolia
Elbegdorj Tsakhia is a Mongolian politician, reformer, and advocate for democracy, human rights, and justice. Serving as President of Mongolia (2009–2017), he played a key role in the country’s peaceful transition from communism.
Born in 1963 into a nomadic herding family, he studied in Ukraine and later earned a Harvard Kennedy School degree in 2002. A leader of Mongolia’s 1990 democratic revolution, he co-founded the country’s first non-governmental mass movement and helped draft the 1992 democratic constitution.
Elbegdorj served two terms as Prime Minister (1998, 2004–2006) and was twice elected president. He abolished the death penalty, strengthened media freedom, and promoted economic reforms. A global voice for human rights and democracy, he is a member of The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela.
Since 2017, he has remained a speaker, democracy advocate, and global leader. He and his wife have four sons and 28 foster children.
The Sedona Forum is the McCain Institute’s annual, high-level gathering of national and international leaders held each spring in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona. Starting from the assumption of character-driven leadership and core democratic values, The Sedona Forum convenes thought-leaders, decision makers, activists and diverse experts to discuss approaches and solutions to real-world problems.
