Congratulations to Thein Zaw, who was honored by Aung San Suu Kyi this week as a reward for his work encouraging young people to read.
The state counselor’s office released a congratulatory note, signed by Suu Kyi herself, on Tuesday, praising the 27-year-old for his efforts nurturing the country’s literary culture.
Originally from Mandalay region, Thein Zaw, also known as Zaw Zaw, has opened five libraries across the country driven by the mantra that “nothing but books can transform Myanmar”.
In January, Suu Kyi stressed her hope that Myanmar’s reading culture could be sustained, despite the digital revolution.
Her letter to Thein Zaw read: “We honor Zaw Zaw aka Thein Zaw and urge younger generations to serve for the good of their communities and work together in building the nation.”
To fund the endeavor, the librarian sells grilled fish on the street in Yangon. So if you see him, make sure to take something home.
