January 30, 2018
The earth, “Myay
Mitmo,” is of great help for exuberant growth of emerald green grass, plants
and trees, as are public-orientated centres to help cast a learning light over
the public.
It is none other
than books that awakes people’s awareness and senses, thus we emphatically say,
“Books for All,” which is another way of saying “Books are friends of all.”
Books and literature are the most fundamental for the development of people’s
scope of knowledge and intellect. As for a man, accumulation of personal experiences
in his life is in fact very limited, whereas vicarious experiences acquired
through books and literatures are infinite and timeless. Existences, feelings
and passing of life of all beings including various kinds of people from all
walks of life remain left in literature.
At such a time
when literature needs to be upgraded so that our national image can rise up,
parents belonging to the ageing generationare required to collectively
cultivate and nurture the people, especially the younger generation, to learn
to love books, spending their precious hours in the circle of literary
fanatics. Here, we need to form small-scale groups or in-groups/cliques
depending upon our capabilities. On the other hand, the Government as well
needs to encourage it as a national objective to lift up the literary status.
Students
learning at their respective alma maters need to not only take academic
learning, but also to learn to savour the taste of literary treasures including
aesthetic literature. No one can deny public libraries as well as school
libraries are of great importance. Unadulterated/pure literature which can
increase the intellect, encourage the survival of readers and awaken
consciousness and awareness is in fact the eternal partner for every individual
in leisure hours. Accordingly, I would like to claim that “Lovable literature
which will change our present era needs to be selected for sharing the acquired
knowledge to other younger minds/youths.”
Provided that
literature will stand tall as the life-long partner loyal to readers in the
midst of the people, it sure will be of great encouragement and grace for us,
as if we are in the immediate vicinity of a savant hermit.
On studying as
to whether there is any progress concerning the situations of IPRD libraries
being upgraded as public-orientated libraries, I have come to realise that a
library is a cave in which various kinds of literary treasures are a mosaic
with a variety of technologies, intellects, fine arts, cultures, subjects on
wonderful nature, hygienic knowledge, books on guidance for success, or rather
a cave where the treasures of writers who cast light are buried.
A literary
repository or a library, emphatically likened to a literary treasure trove, is
a location in which literary hunters can sit digging up literary treasures with
ease. In case it was a royal treasure trove guarded by ogres it would be too
difficult to dig it up, regarding to be an unfit for the public.
As regards the
well-known catchphrase, “Literature is kind of a flaming torch for the success
of our lives,” I hereby would like to refer the statement of Sayar Thar Ga Doe,
my much-respected literati journalist. He once said, “What created me to stand
as the existence of “Thar Ga Doe,” were none other than books. I disclosed it
almost everywhere I met my superiors and colleagues. Born in a desperate
situation at a village called Phyar Tan where we could reach after a walk of
several miles across three or four villages from Dar Ka, 20 miles or so far
from Pathein, formerly called Bassein, I became a literary worker-cum-film
director-cum-journalist, by courtesy of books.
It is beneficial
for us to pay attention to books. Yet, not every book can be beneficial and
fruitful for us. There seems to be an element of hyperbole in such a claim that
there are lethal books around us. Only if we ponder it carefully with judgment
will we manage to discover excellent and beneficial books for our success.
Lethal books
referred by Sayargyi Thar Ga Doe will be pornographic ones, books on illegal
doctrines and ideas, books of insular patriotism of extremists, etc., n my
opinion. If attracted to this kind of literature, I humbly would like to warn
you that you will be in for trouble like moths attracted to bright lights.
Accordingly,
people desirous of searching for knowledge and wisdom should approach the
public libraries rich in literary virtues like an ocean, without occult matters
excluded.
Public-orientated
centres and public-orientated libraries are locations where literary talks are
held, rendezvous points for writers and literature lovers and places from which
meritorious deeds increase through acquired literary knowledge. Being a place
where fellow devotees gather for regional affairs, it can be said to be a place
of great use for sharing knowledge, discussing matters on philanthropic affairs
and giving help to each other.
Oh! Dear
colleagues,
The place of
which we can claim, “This is our place!,” is none other than a
public-orientated centre or a public-orientated library. By sharing frankly
what we want, friendship between us will be strengthened, with the soaring
family spirit, I firmly believe.
At the
public-orientated library, we can not only read and borrow books but also open
training courses for children such as computer training courses,
English-speaking classes and noble education sharing courses. Thus, it will be
a place of nobility for all regardless of age, which will be beneficial
forever.
A public-orientated
centre and public-orientated library are not the places which reflect explosive
symptoms of greed, anger and ignorance, absolutely not a place of evil wills.
It is just a meeting place established with the intention of casting light over
the community by holding an intellectual discussion. As it can be said to be a
suitable place for all, it agrees with “the Auspicious Sermon,” which Myanmar
people greatly value.
Now, we found
out that IPRD has been implementing in cooperation with the Daw Khin Kyi
Foundation to transform the public-orientated centre and public-orientated
library into the place savants and literary lovers meet, a lovable place with
the fragrant atmosphere of Myanmar’s respected and honourable writers, poets
and journalists, enjoyable places for children by holding storytelling
contests, poem-recitation contests, ad lib speech contests, drawing contests,
color painting contests and so on.
At the time of
establishing public-orientated centres, public talks are being held across the
nation. I assume that it is an auspiciousness of the nation. Public talks are
not the places full of indecent or vulgar speech. Arguments are being presented
reasonably in sweet and polite terms at public talks, hence making for a
welcoming place for the people.
In the
democratic era, these places are the ones in which the governing body and the
people can hold frank discussions, the places which can bring about
opportunities for negotiation of all matters, small or big, a place to lift up
thinking capacities and places that will cultivate practices of participating
in public.
Would that it be
better to increasingly hold such public talks in every part of the nation, from
remote villages to urban areas.
By Koyin Aw
(Translated by
Khin Maung Oo)
Ref; The Global
New Light of Myanmar
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