U.S. EMBASSY AND THE ASIA FOUNDATION HOST BOOK DONATION CEREMONY AT AMERICAN CENTER YANGON
November 1, 2018
Yangon, Myanmar — Today the U.S. Embassy and The Asia Foundation donated 11,428 books at a ceremony at the new American Center Yangon to benefit institutions in Lower Myanmar. Today’s donations benefit 120 educational institutions in Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy, Bago, Nay Pyi Taw, and Tanintharyi Regions, as well as Kayin, Mon, and Rakhine States. The organizations receiving books today include community libraries, public high schools and universities, as well as government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and political party libraries. This shipment of books includes business, history, literature, and children’s books.
Since 2007, the U.S. Embassy and The Asia Foundation have worked together with the National Library to donate over 235,000 English language books to more than 400 educational organizations and institutions in every state and region of the country.
U.S. Ambassador Scot Marciel opened the event, and highlighted the longstanding U.S. commitment to building institutions that serve people all across Myanmar. “Books and reading are essential for quality education and an informed citizenry,” Ambassador Marciel said. “I offer my respect and admiration to all of you for the important work you are doing for your country to improve education throughout Myanmar,” he added.
The Asia Foundation Country Representative Dr. Matthew Arnold explained, “The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program aims to build a world where every child has access to books, every citizen has access to up-to-date information, and every community leader has access to resources needed to make informed decisions.” The Asia Foundation books for Asia program is the longest continually running book donation program in Myanmar. In addition to the educational institutions, The Asia Foundation has also provided special collections of books to the President’s Office and other government and political institutions.
On November 6, the U.S. Embassy and The Asia Foundation will host a ceremony at Jefferson Center Mandalay to donate books to institutions in Magway, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, and Sagaing Regions, and Chin, Kachin, Kayah, and Shan States. Earlier this year, the U.S. Embassy and The Asia Foundation donated over 11,000 books, bringing the 2018 total to over 43,000 books for institutions in every State and Region in Myanmar.
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