Union Information Minister attends respect-paying ceremony to doyen literati marking Myanmar Literati Day

The Myanmar Writers Association organized a respect-paying ceremony to doyen literati marking Myanmar Literati Day or Sarsodaw Day in Yangon on Friday.
Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, Region Commander Maj-Gen Nyunt Win Swe, regional ministers, Myanmar Writers Association Chairman U Ohn Maung (Myinmu Maung Naing Moe), members, elderly literati, writers and guests.
At the ceremony, officials handed over K2,470,000 cash donation including K10 million donated by the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services to the Chairman of the Myanmar Writers Association.
Speaking at the event, the Union minister said the respect-paying ceremony led by the association reaches its 35th anniversary this year since 1980. There were only 10 literati in 1980 and now 247 from 1996 to date.
The Prime Minister and his wife also donated the needed things to the literati individually to show respect to them. The great authors were also awarded during the diamond jubilee of the Sarpay Beikman including the National Literature Awards 2020 and 2021 and the National Lifetime Award for Literary Achievement.
Today, plans are underway to establish Sarso Beikman which will be more prestigious than Sarpay Beikman. Moreover, the government also confers honourary titles and medals and they will be awarded by the Prime Minister on Diamond Jubilee Independence Day.
Then, the Yangon Region chief minister talked about the establishment of the Myanmar Writers Association in 1944 and the number of literati – 247 doyen literati to date and the chairman of the association expressed thanks to the Head of the State and donors for their contributions and pledged to make efforts with the mighty pens for peace and tranquillity of the State and its development.
After paying respect to the elderly literati, writer Takkatho Myat Thu delivered words of advice on behalf of the elderly.
At noon, the Union minister inspected the message printing processes of Dimond Jubilee Independence Day at the Central Printing Factory of the Printing and Publishing Department on Theinbyu Road.
Then, the Union minister gave cash awards to members of the National Literary Award Selection Committee and Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Award Selection Committee at the meeting hall of the department and left proper instructions.—MNA/KTZH