The opening ceremony of the PyinOoLwin Children’s Literary Festival was held at B.E.H.S. No (1) PyinOoLwin at 9a.m. yesterday and was attended by Union Minister for Information Dr Pe Myint and officials.
The first segment of the opening ceremony of the Children’s Literary Festival, book fair and book sale took place at archway in front of the school. Union Minister Dr Pe Myint, Mandalay Region Hluttaw Deputy Speaker Dr Khin Maung Htay, Pyithu Hluttaw representative Dr Aung Khin, Mandalay Region Hluttaw representative U Aung Min, Director-General U Ye Naing of the Information and Public Relations Department, Director U Soe Lwin of the Mandalay Region Education Office, Interim Chairman U Htin Kyaw of the PyinOoLwin District Management Committee, and Luyechun students Ma Nan Thiri Nwe, Ma Yin Min Kyaw and Ma Lin Lett Khin cut ceremonial ribbons together with students to formally inaugurate the event.
Next, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint and esteemed guests took a collective documentary photograph with the students.
After this, the second segment of the Children’s Literary Festival, book fair and book sale, jointly organized by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Information, Basic Education Department of the Ministry of Education, and District Management Committee, took place in Ayeyawady Hall of the school and students opened the ceremony by performing the theme song of the Children’s Literature Festival.
Next, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint delivered an address where he said the Children’s Literary Festivals were held with three objectives. He said they had planned to make the event festive, happy and thronging in line with being a festival.
He said they have also organized poem recitals and story-telling programmes, which are related to literature, and opened book sale booths so that children can acquire reading hobbies and increase their knowledge and find delight together with books and literature in line with receiving long-term benefits through happiness there.
He said they have arranged for the festival to be an environment that is relevant and delightful with literature. In addition, it aims to impart a sense of satisfaction in participating in collaborative activities at a young age, said the Union Minister.
He said there are processes to succeed in ethnic solidarity and peace in the country and just as the beautiful flowers from a range of hues can be soothingly seen at the PyinOoLwin capital of flowers, if all the ethnic nationals in this country were to be united then it would be possible to establish prosperous new nation. He said it is his view that this is the reason the spirit of working together with others needs to be instilled at a young age.
The Union Minister said the Children’s Literary Festival cannot be done by just the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Education alone but also requires forming committees with relevant state/regional government and departments and the participation and support of local elders to be festive and full of revelers and they have organized for it to be so.
The Union Minister said he is delighted to see local elders and former students actively participating in this PyinOoLwin Children’s Literary Festival. He said organizing the festivals will allow them to become smart and honest people and will carry benefits for the nation once they grow up.
He said if there are many good citizens then the nation will be strong and they are organizing All-Round Youth Development Festivals in addition to Children’s Literary Festival so that children can have all-round development.
The Union Minister said this is why organizing the Children’s Literary Festival aims to make the nation strengthened and powerful in the future. He said may everyone be able to provide cooperation to ensure children are developed and receive happiness for the future of the nation. He added that may good traditions such as this be formed.
Next, Mandalay Region Hluttaw Deputy Speaker Dr Khin Maung Htay spoke on behalf of the Mandalay Region government. He said he was proud and delighted that the PyinOoLwin District Children’s Literary Festival was organized unitedly and cohesively.
He said he believes and hopes that if the three objectives of organizing Children’s Literary Festival continue to be maintained as good traditions then it would become a source of strength in establishing a democratic federal republic. He wished for them to become skilled human resources that the nation can rely on in the future through the Children’s Literary Festival.
Next, Mandalay Region Education Office Director U Soe Lwin said the objective of this Children’s Literary Festival is coherent with lessons from the current education system’s new curriculum. He said the new education system teaches cooperative participation and innovation through practical and fun lessons in the classroom.
He said the Children’s Literary Festival are a sort of investment in the new education system and that is why he extends his gratitude to the Ministry of Information for leading the implementation of them.
Afterwards, students from Naungkhamgyi Village B.E.P.S. performed ‘Pann Kabar Mhyaw Sin’, students from Hein Htet Shan private high school performed ‘See Lone Soe Lay Tway Chin Do Myay’, students from B.E.M.S. (1)/B.E.H.S. (Branch) performed ‘Shan Yoma Ga O-si Tan’, students from Shwe Sar Wyne private high school performed ‘Naga Do Ye O-lay’, and students from Snow Queen private high school performed ‘U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe’.
After the opening ceremony, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint and officials walked around the Children’s Literary Festival and observed the competitions in story-telling, impromptu speaking, poetry in Kachin, Chin, Shan and Lisu languages, jigsaw assembly, origami, painting, coloring, soccer and team sports, literature seminars, entertainment programmes, department and Yadanarpon Cyber City University booths, basic education schools and private school booths, association booths and book sale booths, and charity food stalls.
Children’s Literary Festivals were organized at the national-level, district-level and regional programmes starting from 2016. So far, the festival has been organized 9 times at the national level, 45 times at the district level, and 32 times through regional organizing for a total of 85 times in all.
There are plans to organize the Children’s Literary Festival in the major cities of Loikaw, Hpa-an and Dawei where regional and state offices are located and at the district level in Papun, Gantgaw and Phakant within this year.
In addition, the Ayeyawady Region government aims to hold regionally organized Children’s Literary Festival in its 26 townships within this year. So far, they have held the festivals in 16 townships. They will continue to plan the festivals in Myanaung, Nyaungdon, Yekyi, Kyangin, Bogale, Ngapudaw, Hinthada, Maubin, Kangyidaunt, and Pyapon. — Min Htet Aung (Mahn Sub-printing House)
(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
