ITALIA-MYANMAR. SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAKHINE STATE THROUGH THE ENHANCEMENT OF MRAUK-U ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.

Yangon, 16 May 2018. “Myanmar is a priority country for the Italian Development Cooperation and Italy, thanks to its well-established experience in the sector of the promotion of cultural heritage, can offer a decisive contribution for the development of Rakhine State, in line with the Recommendations of the Annan Commission”, commented the Italian Ambassador Pier Giorgio Aliberti during the Launch Ceremony of the Project “Support to the Social and Economic Development of Rakhine State through the Safeguard, Management and Valorisation of the Mrauk-U site”. This initiative, funded by the Italian Government, with a total value of EUR 1,3 million and implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation along with the UNESCO Office of Yangon and in collaboration with the Myanmar authorities, aims at strengthening the operational capacity of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture of Myanmar and supporting the inclusion of the archaeological site of Mrauk-U in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Italian initiative is aligned with the Recommendations formulated by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State (widely renown as the Annan Commission) aiming at the promotion of a sustainable and harmonious development of Rakhine State, capable of improving local communities’ livelihood regardless of their ethnicity and religion.