Nay Pyi Taw December 11
In commemoration of the diamond jubilee 75th Anniversary of the Union Day, the opening ceremony of the Third Ethnic Cultural Festival (2021) was held virtually at Myanmar Radio and Television in Tatkon in Nay Pyi Taw this evening and Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing sents a video message of opening speech.
First, a song commemorating the Third Ethnic Cultural Festival (2021) was played.
Then, Union Minister for Ethnic Affairs U Saw Tun Aung Myint, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, Deputy Minister for Ethnic Affairs U Zaw Aye Maung and Chairman of Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association U Yaw Sett formally opened the Third Ethnic Cultural Festival (2021) virtually.
Then, the following video message of the opening speech sent by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was played.
“The 75th Anniversary or the Diamond Jubilee of Union Day falls on 12 February 2022. With the unified vision, all the ethnic peoples laid the foundation of the Union for the existence of the Union of Myanmar till now.
As a gesture hailing the Diamond Jubilee Union Day that is full of essence, the third Ethnic Culture Festival 2021 opened today. In this regard, to all the national brethren who are watching or participating in the opening ceremony, I wish you all good luck, health and happiness.
The Ethnic Culture Festival 2021 that will further cement love and unity and Union spirit among the ethnic brethren is held with the aim of further exploring and presenting ethnic art and culture, developing the community based tourism in ethnic areas, and improving socio economic lives of ethnic peoples through the dissemination of broader knowledge about local products, traditional costumes and cuisines of ethnic peoples. The first festival in 2019 was sponsored by Kachin ethnic entrepreneurs. Kayah ethnic entrepreneurs were the main sponsors of the second Ethnic Culture Festival 2020. It is not possible to hold the third festival in an open air venue because of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic prevention and containment undertakings. Hence, the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, Ministry of Information and Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association jointly show the festival on TV with the accompaniment of ethnic cultures, songs and dances.
The State has prioritized the work of ensuring a sustainable and balanced development all ethnic brethren can enjoy equally and vitalizing peace, unity and genuine union spirit. Section 22 of the Constitution 2008 states, “The Union shall assist : to develop language, literature, fine arts and culture of the National races; to promote solidarity, mutual amity and respect and mutual assistance among the National races.” The State is implementing the adopted five point roadmap and nine objectives. The social objectives include the points, which say, “To ensure a strong and dynamic Union spirit, the genuine spirit of patriotism; and to respect and promote the customs and traditions of all National peoples and preserve and safeguard their cultural heritage and national characteristics.
It is necessary to cement the genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy in the country. As such, all will pay mutual respect and recognition to the diversities for firmly implementation of the Union based on democracy and federalism. Realization of the democracy needs to be based on Our Three Main National Causes non disintegration of the Union, non disintegration of national unity and perpetua-tion of soverengnty. Hence, it is necessary to further strive for building the firm and united strength of the ethnic national brethren.
In hailing the Diamond Jubilee Union Day which will come soon, the government will beef up the work procedures for ensuring the storng and dynamic Union spirit and the peace process. To be further strong and dynamic Union spirit, the government will implement three steps on adoption of future tasks, formation of tasks forces formed with ethnic nationals and implementation of the work process. To do so, recommendations and suggestions, dissemination of information and educative works will be sought from the groups to be related to the ethnic national people.
In enhancing the peace process, efforts will be made for creation of chances for respective ethnic nationals and stake holders to participate I the peace process, negotiation and promotion tasks, directly holding the dialogues with peace negotiation committees at different levels and EAOs, building further strengthening of peace with NCA signatories, minimizing the attacks and seeking the bilateral agreements for non NCA signatories to sign the NCA.
I always talk about the usage at the dialogues and ceremonies related to the peace. It is just “desire”. If one desires to restore the peace, one must have the genuine desire to restore the peace. Likewise, if one desires to develop the nation with prosperity, one must have the desire and endeavours for development and prosperity of the country. If we make collaborative efforts in unison, no impossibility happens in our country and our national. It was shown as a significant evidence how we overcame the challenges of the third wave of COVID-19. In the infection climax of COVID-19 in the third wave in July, some 40 percent of infection rate hit the country. Thanks to concerted efforts of the government, the people and all organizations, the infection rate of the pandemic plunged into just two percent within three four months period. It was the fruitful result based on unity, discipline and keen desire. We have to sustain the good efforts and moral. Furthermore, we must march towards the Union, modern, developed nation, based on genuine disciplined multiparty democracy, democracy and federalism.
The country primarily requires the improvement of the peace process and the development of the ethnic areas in multiple sectors. The State Administration Council gives a helping hand to all ethnic national areas for economic development of the State. Encouragement is being given to restructuring the economy which dipped in the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.I’d like to urge any businesspersons to cooperate with the government for developmet of the State. Development task of the country cannot be undertaken through single strength and sole organization. It needs the collective strength of all ethnic national people.
In conclusion, I’d like to say that the multiple development of the State and the ethnic nationals must be shaped through the unity of all ethnic nationals. Hence,
(1) all ethnic national races and stakeholders are requested to participate in enhancement of the work processes of ensuring strong dynamic Union spirit,
(2) all ethnic national races are requested to take part in the further strenthening the genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy, and emergence of the Union based on demoracy and federalism democracy the country requires,
(3) all ethnic national races are requested to join the tasks for building the prosperous country and food sufficiency.
(4) Let’s sustain the national culture and national characteristics by mutually recognizing and adhering to the diversities of ethnic nationals.
May all national people be physical and mental wellbeing.Thank you all.”
Afterwards, Union Minister for Ethnic Affairs U Saw Tun Aung Myint made a speech honoring the event, saying the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs has been handling ethnic affairs and carrying out development tasks for national races in accordance with the rules and regulations of laws safeguarding the rights of ethnic peoples. Moreover, measures are being taken for promotion of cultures, traditions and arts of national races, development of community based tourism in areas of national races, raising awareness of cultures and traditions of national races not only among national races but also among other countries, raising the awareness of the bea-uty of natural scenery, exporting local products and traditional costumes of national races and creating job opportunities in areas of national races. The festival is being organized with
the aim of contributing to peace building by strengthening the cooperation and unity of national races.
As Myanmar is a country resided by different national races, national unity is very important and the country will be built into a peaceful and developed one only through national unity. Although national races have different historical backgrounds, the country was established with the unity of national races. Due to different historical backgrounds, there may be different opinions among national races.
By respecting the diversity and setting aside different opinions, it is necessary to exert efforts for development of national races in accordance with policies, objectives and future tasks of the State Administration Council. Today is the time to unitedly build the country by strengthening the federal democracy system. Only when democratic system is strong, will the federal system be implemented correctly. Therefore, it is necessary to build mutual trust, respect, unity, reconciliation and peace among national races. Only then, can the modern and developed union be built.
Then, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn delivered a congratulatory speech that the 75th Diamond Jubilee Union Day will be celebrated soon. At this time, the celebration of the third Ethnics Culture Festival has been able to achieve the unity among ethnic nationalities, intimacy and mutual respect. By mutual knowledge of the cultural traditions of the ethnic nationalities, we can promote our national unity, peace and inclusive development. He called on the people to build a union based on democracy and federalism that all our people aspire to.
U Yaw Sat, Chairman of the Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association, delivered a congratulatory speech that the first Ethnics Culture Festival–2019 and second Ethnics Culture Festival-2020 have been successfully held at Kyaikkasan Ground under the leadership of Kachin Ethnic Entre preneurs Association and Kayah Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association. This year, the Kayin people have to take the lead, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to hold the event on the ground, so it was held in a virtual system through television channels.
This is a time when the whole country is facing many difficul-ties and challenges in terms of economy and livelihood. We pray for everything that is hap-pening in our country now end peacefully in the near future.
The ceremony ended with a video showing the beauty and interesting places of the ethnic nationalities.
The festival is being held with many good intentions such as to support peace in Myanmar, to build mutual understanding and trust between the ethnic nationalities living in the country, to learn about the culture and traditions of the ethnic nationali-ties not only among the ethnic nationalities but also among other countries, to experience the natural beauty of the land and to further develop Myanmar's tourism industry.
The festival has been held since 2019 and was held in 2019 and 2020 at Kyaikkasan Ground in Yangon. This year, it was not possible to hold the event on the ground due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it was held in a virtual system.