VICE President U Henry Van Thio, Chairman of the Ethnics Affairs, Public Management and Services Committee, made an address at the opening ceremony of the “Myanmar Ethnics Cultural Festival” held at the Kyaikasan Grounds, Yangon yesterday morning.
Present on the occasion were Vice President’s wife Dr. Shwe Hlwan, Union Ministers Dr. Pe Myint, Thura U Aung Ko, Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, U Ohn Maung and Nai Thet Lwin, Union Attorney-General U Tun Tun Oo, Peace Commission Chairman Dr. Tin Myo Win, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, Kayah State Chief Minister U L Phaung Sho, Deputy Ministers, states/regions ministers, representatives of the Self-Administered Zones, Hluttaw representatives, ethnics associations, ethnics cultural groups, states/regions literary and culture associations, Myanmar Ethnics Entrepreneurs Association, distinguished guests, and persons-in-charge.
First, Vice President U Henry Van Thio, Union Ministers U Ohn Maung and Nai Thet Lwin, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, Kayah State Chief Minister U L Phaung Sho and persons-in-charge cut the ribbon to open the Myanmar Ethnics Cultural Festival.
Next, Vice President posed for a documentary photo together with the attendees.
In his address, Vice President said the Myanmar Ethnics Cultural Festival is convened to aim at the development of ethnic areas, travelling, village/tract-based tourism, local products, and the exchange of views and knowledge between ethnic nationals. It is also to promote their unity and solidarity among others, he added.
He continued to say Myanmar is a Federal Union where various ethnic nationals are living together. So unity is very important among all ethnic nationals. Depending on unity, peace process can be accomplished throughout the country, then the development of all ethnic areas can be executed.
He added ethnic nationals is varied and diverse in the country so there are different views between them. All should remove them and proceed with the same ideas and concepts. Therefore, all can collaborate and work together in the nation building though there are diversities.
At present, the Government is leading, along with the entire ethnic nationals, to implement the emergence of a Federal Union. In so doing, their mutual understanding, unity, national reconciliation, and peace process should be strengthened. Then, a peaceful democratic Federal Union can be built precisely, he added.
He stressed that the State is supporting basic needs for the economic development of ethnic nationals. The market economy is being exercised in the country while the private sector is also very important. The third goal of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan has been laid down to create job opportunities and to develop the leading role of the private sector.
He urged businessmen to invest more in ethnic areas where they can get not only profits but also development prospects in manufacturing and servicing industries. The state is adopting policies for the development of micro-and macro-economics while the work processes are eased for the beginners of businesses, he added.
Myanmar is a beautiful and peaceful country where all ethnic nationals have their adorable customs, their traditional cultures, and their featured foods. Those all are attracting factors towards both local and international visitors. Ethnic nationals should promote tourism and its service work; They should innovate their work to drive their value-added products and a higher standard of services not only locally but towards foreign markets. If local products are on foreign markets and tourism in ethnic areas becomes successful, economies are booming and employment opportunities can be created for local communities, he said.
Ethnic nationals should continue to preserve their customs and traditions, cultures, arts, and historical legacies. They all should strive, hand in hand, to build a modern, developed, democratic, Federal Union. They should also implement not only their local economies but peaceful interests of the nation, he urged.
Next, Union Minister for Ethnic Nationals Affairs Nai Thet Lwin, Chief Ministers U Phyo Min Thein and U L Phaung Sho, the Patron of Myanmar Ethnics Nationals Entrepreneurs Association Dr. Tin Myo Win spoke in greeting on the occasion.
Then, Vice President and others were present at the “Kaethobo” Kayah victory pillar erecting ceremony and spread the scented water around the pillar.
“Kaethobo” ceremony depicts unity, mutual assistance, loving kindness, and fine quality of customs among Kayahs. They aimed to have good weather and ample harvest of rice and other crops, to keep natural disasters away, to strengthen the unity among ethnic nationals, to develop the country, and to raise the spirit of next generations to preserve their traditional cultures.
While the pillar erecting ceremony was held Kayah cultural troupe, together with a drum and flute group, performed their traditional dances and music.
Then, Vice President inspected the Kachin traditional culture booth, Kayah traditional culture booth, Kayin traditional culture booth, Chin traditional culture booth, Bamar traditional culture booth, Myanmar Timber and Woodwork Traders Association’s forestry produce booth, Mon traditional culture booth, Rakhine traditional culture booth, Shan traditional culture booth, Kokant traditional culture booth, Danu traditional culture booth, Naga traditional culture booth, Palaung traditional culture booth, Pa-Oh traditional culture booth, “Wa” traditional culture booth, Ethnic Nationals Entrepreneurs Association’s booth, and Ministry of Ethnic Nationals Affairs’ booth. Vice President, Union Ministers, Kayah State Chief Minister, Deputy Ministers, and ethnic nationals traditional culture troupes posed for a documentary photo.
MNA
(Translated by Aung Thura)
Photo - MNA
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar