26th New Generation Seminar September 18-October 2, 2016 Cultural Heritage and Identity in a Globalizing, Urbanizing World Honolulu • Phnom Penh • Yangon Yangon Program September 28-October 2, 2016 Wednesday, September 28 14:35 Group arrives from Phnom Penh, Bangkok Airways flight PG 0707. 15:30 Meet group transportation and proceed to hotel: PARKROYAL Yangon 33 Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar +95 1 250 388; Toll-Free: 1 877 237 7838 https://www.parkroyalhotels.com/en/hotels-resorts/myanmar/yangon.html Burma Program Logistics Coordinator: Sonny Nyunt THEIN Managing Director, Enterprise Group & Owner, Gracious Myanmar Travel Tel: + 95-01-393303; Mobile: +959 5011012 (095011012 local) Khine Nwe Mobile: +959 420113410 [email protected]; www.myanmartravelagent.com 18:10 Depart hotel for dinner and Shwedagon Pagoda (by bus) ` *Note: Please dress modestly for our visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda after dinner. Per the Pagoda website, visitors are asked to wear trousers or at least knee length shorts or skirt, and t-shirts with elbow length sleeves. You will need to remove your shoes upon entry. 18:30 Group dinner at Padonmar Restaurant No.105/107, Kha-Yae-Bin Road, Dagon Township Contact: Sonny, [email protected]; +95 9 4210 82687, +95 9 7981 63085 Mr. BO BO, Manager, phone: +95 9 250 193 488 Padonmar is a renovated heritage home that serves Myanmar and Thai cuisine. We will be joined by Aung Ba Kyu (ABK) and his wife Swe Swe. ABK grew up in this heritage home and will share some oral history of the property. Oral historians Virginia Henderson and Tim Webster will also join and share background about the house. Mandalay Marionettes founder Mama Naing and her husband also will join us 19:40 Depart for Shwedagon Pagoda (by bus) 26th New Generation Seminar, Yangon Program, page 2 of 7 20:00 Visit to Shwedagon Pagoda The 2,500 year old Shwedagon Pagoda is considered the historical and cultural center of Yangon, and is a repository of the best in Myanmar heritage – architecture, sculpture and arts. Believed to enshrine strands of Buddha's hair and other holy relics, is the most sacred and impressive Buddhist site for the people of the Union of Myanmar. It consists of hundreds colorful temples, stupas, and statues that reflect architectural eras spanning almost 2,500 years. From a humble beginning of 8.2 meters, the Shwedagon Pagoda today stands close to 110 meters. It is covered with hundreds of gold plates and the top of the stupa is encrusted with 4531 diamonds; the largest of which is a 72 carat diamond. It is clearly one of the wonders of the religious world. Visitors will experience an insider's view of this magnificent historical and living symbol of Buddhism to the lives of the Myanmar people as Shwedagon Pagoda forms the focus of religious as well as community activities. Amidst the art and architecture, visitors will see the bustling of devotees and monks washing the statues, offering flowers, worshiping, and meditating. For a history of the Pagoda, please visit: http://www.shwedagon.org/history.php or http://www.lonelyplanet.com/myanmar-burma/yangon-rangoon/sights/religious/shwedagon-paya 21:30 Return to hotel Thursday, September 29 Complimentary breakfast is served daily at the hotel *Note: Wear business casual clothing and comfortable walking shoes for today’s meetings. Bring a hat, umbrella, and rain jacket. Breakfast at hotel (on own) 8:00 Meet in lobby to depart (by bus) 8:20 Arrive at Yangon Heritage Trust offices Yangon Heritage Trust 22-24 (First Floor), Pansodan Street (lowest block), Kyauktada Township Phone: +95 1 240 544, +95 9 32100 785 E-Mail: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/theyangonheritagetrust.org http://www.yangonheritagetrust.org/home 8:30-10:15 Yangon Heritage Trust Tour of downtown area of the city center (Lokanat Gallery, th 37 street, Post Office, Strand, lot of Secretariat as mentioned on Trip Advisor reviews) Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT) is a private, non-profit organization founded in 2012 by Dr. Thant Myint-U and a group of like-minded architects, business people, historians, and others dedicated to preserving the city’s unique architectural legacy in recognition that Yangon’s built heritage was at risk from decades of neglect and, more pressingly, a new wave of intense pressure for rapid urban development. YHT advocates for heritage protection, develops clear and sustainable policy options, engages with government, business and civil society, communicates its ideas to the widest possible audience, undertakes specific conservation projects, and facilitates research and training. YHT offers heritage tours for visitors to promote its cause and to financially sustain their work. Tour will provide an overview of and introduction to the heritage architecture of Yangon’s urban core, the significance and history of the area, the challenges and pressures on these areas amidst the changes that are taking place. 10:15 Return to the Heritage Trust office 26th New Generation Seminar, Yangon Program, page 3 of 7 10:30-11:45 Preserving Heritage in Yangon: The Vision and Work of the Yangon Heritage Trust Daw Moe Moe Lwin, Director, Yangon Heritage Trust Between 1990 and 2011 as much as 35% of downtown Yangon, or about 1,800 buildings, were destroyed. Yangon's historic buildings were levelled to make way for new buildings. Strong pressures for development, a surge in land prices, limited regulation and an absence of planning legislation, has led to serious concerns that these heritage assets will be lost. Discussion will provide an overview of the challenges of preserving heritage in Yangon, the mission and work of the Yangon Heritage Trust, the role of YHT as a non-government entity and how it engages government, businesses, and the community for heritage preservation with its vision for Yangon which “involves allowing the city to fully modernize while also conserving the urban heritage which makes it unique. What have been the lessons learned for success and what challenges remain? 11:45 Break; time to view exhibit and photos in office 12:00-12:30 Legal and Land Issues in Heritage Preservation in Yangon Sue Mark, research scholar and legal expert The current legal framework governing land and structure ownership in Yangon is very complex and is often a “knot” in heritage preservation. Thus, The Yangon Heritage Trust and Pyoe Pin organization carried out a study to analyse the regulatory framework that governs heritage residential buildings. The study was carried out by a cultural heritage lawyer supported by a Myanmar lawyer and social researcher from late 2015 to early 2016. The study sampled 8 buildings in Downtown Conservation Area and interviews with key informants. Ms. Mark will share the results of this study and the ways forward in resolving the legal obstacles to revitalization of Yangon’s city center. 12:30 Proceed to lunch (on foot) 12:45-14:00 Lunch at Rangoon Tea House 77-79 Pansodan Street, Lower Middle Block (Opposite Shwe Bank) Yangon (Rangoon) 11182, Phone: 959979078681 14:00 Depart lunch for City Hall (by bus) 14:30-15:30 Preserving Heritage as an Engine of Economic Growth Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, Secretary, Yangon City Development Committee, City Hall Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) is the administrative body of Yangon. It consists of 20 departments, with headquarters in the Yangon City Hall. The committee's chairman also acts as the city's mayor. On 14 May 1990, the Yangon City Development Law formally established the present incarnation of YCDC, delegating wide responsibilities to this body, including city planning, land administration, tax collection, and development. However, the YCDC is also responsible for duties stipulated in the 1922 Rangoon Municipal Act. The YCDC is technically independent of the government, and raises its own revenues through tax collection, fees, licenses and property development. Provide an overview of how the city views heritage as part of its development vision, how it works with stakeholders to determine what to preserve and how to preserve it with limited budgets, and the future vision for a sustainable, integrated Yangon. How does the city plan to deal with human settlements and communities that are not being ‘saved’ and must be moved or removed in order for development to take place? 15:30 Proceed to Cyrus Pun’s offices (by bus) 26th New Generation Seminar, Yangon Program, page 4 of 7 16:00-17:00 Business Perspectives on Development in Yangon Cyrus Pun, Executive Director, Yoma Strategic, Yangon, Myanmar Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in real estate, agriculture, automotive, and luxury tourism businesses in Myanmar. The company develops gated community, residential, retail mall, serviced apartments, office towers, and landmark development projects. It is also involved in constructing residential units; rental of properties; property development and management, and design and architectural services; and advertising services, as well as operates quick services restaurants. In addition, Yoma Strategic Holdings engages in vehicle operating lease and rental business; the operation of a service center for European automobiles in Yangon and Mitsubishi Motors after-sales service center in Mandalay; tourism business through the operation of hot air balloon business; and luxurious adventure travelling services in Myanmar and Bhutan. Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. was incorporated in 1962 and is headquartered in Singapore. Businessman and real estate developer Cyrus