THE Union Government Kathi-na Robe Offering Ceremony Steering Committee meeting was held yesterday morning in the assembly hall of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. The meeting was addressed by Vice President U Myint Swe, pa-tron of the steering committee.

In his address the Vice President said an eleven mem-ber Union Government Kathi-na Robe Offering Ceremony Steering Comimittee headed by himself had been formed to successfully hold the Union Gov-ernment Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony in the compound of the Sasana Maha Beikmandaw building at Uppatasanti Pago-da, Nay Pyi Taw. A 20-member working committee led by Depu-ty Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture was had also been formed to accomplish four tasks. 11 sub-committees were then established to successfully im-plement the four tasks.

A coordination meeting of the working committee led by its chairman Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture was held on 20 September where nine decisions were made. It may be noted that these deci-sions have already been imple-mented by relevant sub-com-mittees.

Kahina Robe Offerings to Sanghas has been permitted by Lord Buddha as a donation in accordance with the ‘Vinaya’ and can be done within the first Waning Day of Thadingyut and the Full Moon Day of Tazaung-mon. That was why the Kathina Robe offering was a periodical donation that can be done one month in a year, one day in a month, one monastery a day and once for each monastery.

This special donation has been conducted by the Union Government starting from 2012 and this is the eighth time.

Before Thadingyut during the period of lent, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture had identified and selected mon-asteries that were in accord with the “Vinaya” and informed the respective leading monks of the monasteries to offer Kathina Robe.

As this Kathina Robe Of-fering was a union level event relevant committees were to co-ordinate and do the necessary works to hold this event system-atically and successfully. Since this event was held annually relevant committee members and departmental officials were expected to carry out their ac-tivities based on the experience of previous years and coordinate in order to make improvements year by year.

Necessary arrangements were to be made to invite and transport to the event the ven-erable sayadaws – totaling 63 that included State Sanghama-hanayaka Sayadaws and Tipi-takadhara Tikpitaka Kawvida Sayadaws. Appropriate lodgings as well as healthy foods were to be kept in readiness in addition to providing health care services as well.

Preparations were to be made at the Sasana Maha Beikmandaw Building where the event would be held and Kahtina offerings should also be prepared accordingly. Kahtina offering trees were to be at des-ignated places at the specified time and were to be sent system-atically to the monasteries once the event was completed. Trial runs should be conducted so that everything would go smoothly when the event was held. In to-day’s meeting, work committees and sub-committees were urged to discuss and openly provide necessary suggestions, said the Vice President.

Next, Steering Committee Chairman Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko explained about arrangements made to successfully hold the event.

Afterwards, Deputy Minis-ter for Religious Affairs and Cul-ture U Kyi Min explained about sub-committees formed, trans-portation arrangement made for the Sayadaws, arrange-ments made for trial runs and coordination made with other ministries. This was followed by respective sub-committees explaining about the prepara-tions and works conducted by each sub-committee.

Meeting attendees provided suggestions on the discussions and explanations and the Vice President also gave his com-ments to ensure proper coordi-nation based on the suggestions, discussions and explanations presented. The meeting ended after concluding remarks by the Vice President.

Present at the meeting were Union Minister for Religious Af-fairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, Deputy Minister U Kyi Min, Nay Pyi Taw Council member U Aung Myin Tun, Nay Pyi Taw Command Deputy Commander Col Soe Nyunt, Permanent Sec-retaries, Myanmar Police Force Chief Police Lt-Gen Aung Win Oo, heads of departments and officials. — MNA

(Translated by Zaw Min)