UPCOMING MON NATIONAL DAY IN THE WORKS ( Kao-Wao ) February 11, 2003

UPCOMING MON NATIONAL DAY IN THE WORKS

(February 11, 2003) Kao Wao

The Mon Cultural Society in Calgary, Canada held a final prep-meeting on February 9, 2003 for the 56^th Anniversary of the Mon National Day celebration, which will fall on February 17 of this calendar lunar year. The meeting was organized to plan for the upcoming event that will take place at Southview Community Centre of Calgary, Alberta on February 15.

For the first time, the Mon youths in London, U.K will also celebrate the Mon National Day while the Mon community in the US will celebrate the events in two cities, Fortwayne,
Indiana and Akron, Ohio. The Finn Mons will also celebrate the event in Jyvaskulaa and Mons in Canada will celebrate in two major cities, Calgary and Toronto.

According to the DVB radio (Mon Program), the worldwide Mon communities from Finland to Malaysia (Europe, North America, Australian and Asia) are preparing for a joint statement. The statement urges the international communities to pressure the Burmese regime for the release of Mon political prisoners and the immediate halting of land confiscation in Mon State.

Back home in Burma, the New Mon State Party and various communities will celebrate the event with military parade, sports and literacy competition, cultural performances, including dance and music, and political statements.