Preparations Begin for 69th Mon National Day

Preparations Begin for 69th Mon National Day
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IMNA
68th Mon National Day Center in Ye Town (Photo: MNA)68th Mon National Day Center in Ye Town (Photo: MNA)
68th Mon National Day Center in Ye Town (Photo: MNA)68th Mon National Day Center in Ye Town (Photo: MNA)

Townships across Mon and Karen States and the Tenasserim Region are preparing for the upcoming 69th Mon National Day on 24 February.

In Mon State, Township-level celebrations are being planned in Mudon, Ye, Paung, Moulmein, Chaungzone, and Thanbyuzayat Townships, and township-level preparations have also begun in the Karen State townships of Hpa-an, Kawkereik, and Kyarinnseikkyi.

Township-level festivities for Ye will be held in Duya Village and Kawkareik Township’s event is planned for Kawpain Village.

Billboards for the annual celebration have been put up in Chaungzone, Moulmein, Paung, and Mudon Townships.

Nai Mon Yarzar, a member of the 69th Mon National Day Central Committee said: “Compared to last year, we founded our committees for the 69th Mon National Day a bit late. This is because we also established the [event’s] central committee late. It seems like we have not had much time for setting up the committees yet.”

He added that the planning committees for township-level celebrations across the different communities would ensure that the chairmen give similar welcome speeches and offer similar events, such as talks on Mon literature, as well as using a standard billboard poster, all of which will create some uniformity for those attending the events.

Meanwhile, a campaign to make Mon National Day an official public holiday has been spearheaded by the event’s organising committees and members of the Mon Sangha, or community of monks.

Dr. Min Soe Linn, a Mon National Party member and a newly elected Mon State Hluttaw (Parliament) representative said: “We have been interested in the recognition of Mon National Day as a public holiday for a long time. But this is a new approach that’s never been tried before.”

The campaign will include the release of public statements, campaign songs, and the distribution of promotional materials like stickers and headbands, according to Moulmein Township’s 69th Mon National Day Committee.

In addition to festivities in Mon and Karen states and Tenasserim Division, Mon National Day is celebrated in locations across the area administered by the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and in Rangoon and Mandalay.

Ethnic Mon communities living abroad also frequently organize celebrations in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, and the United States.

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI

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