Topic: 2025 – Situation in Myanmar
Country: Lithuania
Delegate Name: Bryan Oh
Myanmar is facing one of the worst humanitarian and cultural crises in Southeast Asia. When the military took control in February 2021, the level of violence and persecution increased drastically, threatening communities and cultural and religious institutions. According to UNESCO and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), several cultural sites, monasteries, and religious buildings have been damaged or destroyed since the coup. It is not only the people who have suffered; the monks and monasteries have also been targeted, affecting the survival of religious and cultural practices. As a result, Myanmar’s diverse cultural background is at risk, and the ongoing conflict is causing irreparable damage to the country’s cultural and religious landmarks.
The Lithuanian government is deeply concerned about the destruction of cultural and historical sites alongside ongoing human rights violations. Lithuania has had its share of foreign occupations and assaults on national identity over the 20th century. That’s why Lithuania’s commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage, democratic values, and the rights of people whose cultural expression is being threatened is strongly shaped by its own history. Lithuania maintains that even if a country experiences times of political turmoil and armed conflict, cultural heritage should be regarded as a safeguarded manifestation of human dignity, and this same principle will be used in Lithuania’s position on Myanmar.
Lithuania is involved in international efforts that aim at the protection of cultural heritage during crisis times. As a member of the European Union, Lithuania supports the EU sanctions against the Myanmar military and, additionally, through the very same measures, backs diplomatic efforts to prevent any further destruction of the culture. Moreover, Lithuania has also been cooperating with UNESCAP and is committed to contributing to initiatives that protect Myanmar’s cultural heritage and support its people.
