Myanmar’s famous comedian and official Census Ambassador U Zarganar embarked, with a team of performing artists in the early hours of 2 March 2014 from Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital also known as “The Royal City”, on a 3 week nation-wide bus tour to raise awareness on the upcoming Myanmar Census.
The national census bus tour will travel to 118 townships in Upper and Lower Myanmar, covering major cities as well as rural townships. The objective of the bus tour is to inform the general populations about the importance of the census and to encourage strong participation, when the country undertakes its first data collection in over 3 decades. The last time Myanmar conducted a census was in 1983.
“Today is a very good day, as it is the start of the national bus tour. This is the first time that we are taking part in a census and we will be touring in a census decorated bus,” said U Zarganar.
“We are helping to create history for the benefit of my people and I for one am delighted to be a part of the census bus tour. It is very exciting,” concluded U Zarganar as he stepped into the bus to commence the tour.
Upon arrival to the first stop on the route, in the city of Pyinmana, a logging town located approximately 3.2 kilometers from Nay Pyi Taw, the bus was greeted by more than 250 people whom had all turned up to learn more about the upcoming census and enjoy the 45 minute show which also featured a live performance by pop sensation He Lay.
To the catchy tunes of the re-make of the Unity song also known as the census song the participants were introduced to a series of interactive activities testing their knowledge of the upcoming census as well as pose questions relating to the census. U Zargana told the excited crowd that “I’m here to address all concerns and reassure you that all your questions will be answered. I urge you all to participate in the census.”
One of the census activities, which turned out to be a real crowd pleaser, involved the participants repeating and holding the official census slogan “Nation-wide census – Let’s all Participate” for as long as possible in order to win an official census t-shirt or cap.
“It’s really great. I’m really happy. I feel that the census is a good project which will benefit the country. I’m thrilled, pleased and proud of this event, said Daw Gyi Yie Lwin, a 56 year-old grandmother and Pyinmana resident.
Over a period of three weeks from 02-24 March the census bus tour is split into two teams with team leader U Zarganar covering Upper Myanmar with 50 stops including Lashio, Musal, Taunggyi, Loikaw, Hakha and Magwe to name a few.
The second bus led by Daw Swa Zin Htike, a popular Myanmar actress will travel to Lower Myanmar and visit 68 places including Taungoo, Bago, Kalaw, Myawaddy, Bogalay and Pathein.
As the national bus tour packed up and drove off to its next destination, U Kyaw Saw Lwin, a 32 year-old father of three said “When they ask us during the data collection, we will answer correctly and accurately. We will tell them about our living conditions as well as the problems that we have.” Updates from the national census bus tour will be broadcasted daily on MRTV.
The Myanmar population count will take place from 29th March to 10 April 2014.
