Myanmar Mini-Conference

Roundtable

Roundtable

Unchain Burma: A New Generation of Burmese Activists in Canada

Désenchaînez la Birmanie : Une nouvelle génération de militants myanmarais au Canada

Date

Friday, October 22, 2021

Time

15:45 – 17:30

VenueVenue 4Venue 4

Description

Following the 01 February 2021 coup d'état, a sense of urgency has pushed young Burmese in Canada to organize themselves. In several provinces, associations were created, events were organized, and increasingly strong voices were heard. These new social leaders have been contacting elected officials and influencing policies, conducting investigations, initiating awareness campaigns, fundraisings, etc. Aware of the gap that separates them from the older generations, especially on the Rohingya issue, these young activists are laying the foundation for a new sociopolitical movement. While each participant has a unique path to socio-political engagement, these paths are largely based on the same trigger and are littered with similar trials and learning.

The roundtable aims to give a voice to them, by reflecting on a variety of questions: How and why does one gets involved in a sociopolitical movement, despite the distance from its country of origin? What are the main challenges and difficulties associated with this engagement? How are these new forms of sociopolitical activism perceived within the Canadian-based Myanmar communities? What are the internal issues at the community and organizational levels? What are the challenges of inter-organizational coordination? How does this participation change the relationship of these young leaders with their country of origin?

Convenor and Chair/Animateur et président: Jean-François Rancourt, Université de Montréal

Participants:

Banyae Hong, Coalition Myanmar-Québec

Calvin Yin, Political Science, Simon Fraser University; Myanmar Students’ Coalition

Millen Kim, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Linden Kyaw, Computer Science, Simon Fraser University; Myanmar Students Coalition

Mimi Yee, Myanmar Student Association Ontario

Event poster

Papers

N/A

CCSEAS Conference 2021 | ccseas@yorku.ca