U Kyaw Kyaw Soe (Maung Yoe – Ngaphe) (Yangon Region Transport Minister)
My pen name is Maung Yoe – Nga phe. I received the National Literary Award for my two books, “Longing for My Dear Ngaphe Land” and “Our Village, Our Traditions-2.” The main idea of my writings is based on “tradition” and “change”. In Myanmar, each ethnic group has its own customs and traditions. So, in my writing, I describe what tradition means and also explain the move because in today’s fast-developing world, everything is changing rapidly, and so I highlight the living style with “change” depending on the movement of time.
Tradition in our Myanmar society is based on loving-kindness, love, mutual respect, helpfulness and community spirit. These beautiful traditions have long existed in the different communities of our people.
For the change, we have to accept the change that comes from science, technology, communication, art and culture. Just as we accept our traditions, we must also accept and adapt to modern changes. We need to know how to stand between tradition and change; on the other hand, we need to choose correctly in a world that is full of opportunities and challenges. Therefore, I write this book for the reader to know what we should accept and what we should refuse between tradition and change.
I share the development of social community between the tradition and change, understanding the lovely traditions of Myanmar.
As a writer, I hand over the things that I want to tell or share with my readers, and I am also happy that the government recognizes me. Being a writer, I will keep reading and writing as much as I can. I will try my best to contribute to nation-building and promoting social community standards.
Dr Tin Tun Oo (Myanmar Press Council Chairman)
I am very happy that this book, which was loved and supported by readers, has now received recognition from our government. I am very thankful to my readers. This is my fourth time receiving the National Literary Award. I received the first two in 1991 and 1994, and after nearly 30 years, I received another one for 2023. Now, I have won again for 2024, making it the fourth time.
The previous three awards were for works in applied science and pure science. This time, the award is for general knowledge (arts), which makes me even more satisfied because it’s in a different subject area.
To live a happy life, people need peace of mind, good health, and freedom from stress and sorrow. The title of my book, “Free from Stress and Sorrow”, may sound simple, but a more meaningful title could be “Overcoming Pressure and Removing Sorrow.” Stress is something everyone faces, as it’s not easy to get rid of, especially mental stress. However, with the right methods, we can deal with and overcome it. Similarly, we can remove anxiety that we cannot handle if we face it properly. This book shares effective, science-based methods for reducing stress and sorrow, along with my own experiences and practical ways of living a peaceful life.
I have been writing articles for over 1,900 pages since 1972, and I have always loved literature deeply. I’ve written 33 books, including works on health, general knowledge, literature, youth education, travel, and psychology. I feel satisfied because my work benefits others and also matches my interests and skills, and this is what I call job satisfaction.
What I want to say regarding literature is three A's: Accept, Analyze, and Apply. Accept good and useful knowledge by reading as much as possible. Analyze it carefully, turning information and knowledge into your own wisdom and ideas. Apply that wisdom in real life, so you can live a healthy, successful, and happy life.
Being recognized again gives me more motivation to write. There are still many things to write about, because I believe in lifelong learning. I keep learning throughout my life so that I can continue writing useful and meaningful books for the public.
Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH
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