MCFA and MYDA Sign MOU to Cooperate on Myanmar-China Youth Friendship and Capacity Building Activities

The Myanmar-China Friendship Association (MCFA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch and the Myanmar Youth Development Association (MYDA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch held a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony on July 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the hall of the Jin Taw Yan Buddhist Temple, located at the corner of Kanna Road and 31B Road in Mandalay City. At the ceremony, U Sai Aung Kyi, Vice Chairman of the Mandalay Region Youth Affairs Committee and Minister for Shan Ethnic Affairs, delivered the opening remarks. U Kyaw Min, in-charge of the Myanmar-China Friendship Association (MCFA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch, delivered remarks and presented the association's ongoing activities. Following this, U Han Htun Oo, in-charge of the Myanmar Youth Development Association (MYDA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch, explained the formation of the MYDA, the process of obtaining registration from the Ministry of Home Affairs for the establishment of the association, MYDA's contributions to national development activities, and its past and future efforts to foster the comprehensive development of the younger generation. Subsequently, representatives from both associations signed the MOU and took commemorative photos. The MOU includes provisions for jointly organizing friendship and cultural exchange programs between Myanmar and Chinese youth; jointly organizing training, workshops, seminars, forums, and conferences on Leadership Development, Capacity Building, Civic Engagement, and Personal Development for youth; jointly cooperating on knowledge-sharing programs for education, language, culture, technology, and digital skill enhancement; jointly participating in research activities and social welfare projects that can foster friendship, economic development, and overall development between Myanmar and Chinese youth; and jointly implementing youth development and Myanmar-China friendship-related activities as agreed upon by both parties. The MOU signing ceremony was attended by approximately 150 people, including U Sai Aung Kyi, Vice Chairman of the Mandalay Region Youth Affairs Committee and Minister for Shan Ethnic Affairs; U Zaw Myo Aung, Chairman of the Myanmar Youth Development Association (MYDA) Central Headquarters; Daw Kyi Shin Shwe, Central Secretary; U Han Htun Oo, Mandalay Region Branch in-charge and Central Executive Committee member of MYDA; U Thar Pyae Htun, Daw Thandar Myint, and other Executive Committee members of the Mandalay Region Branch; U Kyaw Min, in-charge of the Myanmar-China Friendship Association (MCFA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch, and its executive members; officials from KBZ Bank, CB Bank, and AYA Bank; representatives from MCFA's sister associations; elders from various Yunnan, Kokang, and Fuzhou monasteries in Mandalay City; members of the Jin Taw Yan Women's Charity Organization; U San Htut Ko, Director-General of the Industrial Supervision and Inspection Department for the Mandalay Region; Daw Sandar Win, Professor and Head of the Painting Department at the University of Culture and Arts; and other invited guests. Following this, in the second part of the ceremony, officials from the Myanmar-China Friendship Association (MCFA) Central Headquarters Mandalay Branch presented details regarding the organization of the "2026 Ayeyarwady-Yangtze Traditional Culture and Regional Development Festival," scheduled to be held on November 1, 2, and 3.