Yearning for Home: Burmese Voices on Exile and Loss : Live Panel

Last month, One Light Global collaborated with Better Burma to co-host a virtual panel called “Myanmar’s Voices for Freedom.” Since this event, we’ve heard a steady stream of positive feedback from panelists and guests alike, along with requests for future discussions. So we are delighted to announce our second panel event, “Yearning for Home: Burmese Voices on Exile and Loss.”

What is a “home?”  It is more than just the physical structure we live in; “our home” has overlapping dimensions. We say that the town or city we live in is our home, as is our country, and the entire planet… even the solar system and galaxy where we are but a speck. “Home” conveys a sense of belonging. It evokes feelings of comfort, safety, and familiarity.

Almost a century ago, Thomas Wolfe wrote a book called, You Can’t Go Home Again, referring to the deep-rooted sense of pain we feel if we suddenly are prevented from returning to our home. Wolfe describes it as a deeply distressing and unsettling experience; besides the grief, sadness and disorienting sense of disconnection, it involves a loss of the relationships, routines, and memories.  In short, forcibly losing our home is traumatic.

For so many Burmese, this “loss of home” trauma is felt acutely on multiple dimensions. It is certainly felt at the most visceral level by those who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. But the military has tangibly destroyed the feeling of “home” for whole communities, and shattered a sense of security, safety and belonging—“home”—at the national level.

This panel offers us the opportunity to hear from some who have lost their “home.”  For those of us sitting comfortably in our homes, this panel will hopefully engender a greater sense of empathy and connection with the people of Burma and their plight, inspiring us by their courage and determination in the face of adversity. 

The panelists include:

·      Thiri: A researcher, fixer and documentary producer based in Myanmar, Thiri has worked as a freelance consultant for international Human Rights organizations and media outlets. She reports, documents and advocates about the on-going conflict in Myanmar, as well as on political, social and economic issues. She was interviewed on Insight Myanmar last year.

·      ko ko thett: A noted poet who has published several books of his own works, along with a series of translations which also include ethnic poetry. He has been recognized with an English PEN Translates Award, and currently resides in London.

·      Simon: a Chin doctor and resistance leader who has overseen education projects in Mizoram which support the growing numbers of refugee children fleeing the conflict. You can hear his full story here.

·      Eh Nay Thaw: After fleeing his Karen village following the Fall of Manerplaw in 1995 and spending ten years in a refugee camp, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in International Studies, and is currently a Refugee Resettlement Caseworker based in Kentucky.

·      Akari Win: A young professional who lived in Yangon through the coup, she soon became involved with the democratic movement and took on leadership positions in the National Unity Government; she ultimately had to flee the country as her activities put her at increasing risk.

The talk will take place at these times:

·      Los Angeles: January 12th, 5 pm

·      New York: January 12th, 8 pm

·      Paris: January 13th, 2 am

·      Yangon: January 13th, 7.30 am

·      Sydney: January 13th, Noon

To listen to this panel, please register on Zoom to reserve your spot. Alternatively, you can also watch live on the Facebook pages of Better Burma and Insight Myanmar.

Text from: https://insightmyanmar.org/burmadhammablog/2023/1/6/yearning-for-home-burmese-voices-on-exile-and-loss