It is the Mon State Government’s first time financially supporting the Karen New Year Festival celebration, according to U Aung Myint Khine, Minister of Karen Ethnic Affairs.

“Since this is the first time they have offered funding for the Karen New Year celebration, it feels like they acknowledge us, as an ethnic minority [in the state]. This amount of support, whether it is big or not, displays unity and trust among ethnic groups and it is great to see,” said the Minister of Karen Ethnic Affair.

The Karen New Year Festival Organizing Committee from each of Mon State’s 10 townships can collect 1,500,000 Kyat from the Mon State Government on December 8.

“The Mon State Government supports this as it wants to maintain the ethnic groups’ traditional customs. This new government [National League for Democracy] hasn’t just provided such support in Mon State, but in other regions too,” said U Saw Chit Taung, an official of Karen Ethnic Affair Ministry.

At the New Year Festival, the festival goers will pay respect to the Karen National Flag, while traditional boxing, Karen traditional dances and modern musical acts will also take place.