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From June to August 2024, the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) and the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) at Brigham Young University Law School partnered with Kachin State Comprehensive University (KSCU) in Myanmar to conduct an online lecture series on “Faith and Resilience in Conflict.” The lectures were attended by over 350 participants which included both university students and professors, most of whom have been displaced from their homes due to the ongoing civil conflict.

This lecture series marks the first collaboration between IGE, ICLRS, and KSCU. KSCU was established in 2022 by professors who fled in the face of attacks and persecution from the military during the 2021 coup due to their political opposition. The campus is located in Laiza, a mountainous town in Kachin State near the border with China. It also serves as the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization/Army, one of the ethnic armed groups fighting against the coup government.

The majority of KSCU students live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and belong to ethnic and religious minority groups, primarily Kachin Christians. Some have spent almost their entire lives as IDPs dating back to conflicts between the military and ethnic groups in 2011. For these students, KSCU has become the first and only option of obtaining higher education.

Other students are children of government officials who refused to serve what they regarded as an illegitimate and unjust coup regime. Consequently, arrest warrants were issued against them and they faced the prospect of imprisonment, torture, or even death.

The lectures featured scholars and experts from the U.S., Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam, each offering perspectives from their countries’ history and experience on the role of faith in building resilience amidst adversity. Speakers also addressed issues dealing with mental health, religious freedom, and leadership of women of faith.

According to KSCU Pro-Chancellor Dr. Aung Naing Thu, “Many of our professors previously taught at public universities in central Myanmar and are members of the majority Burman ethnic group. This initially made it challenging for the predominantly Kachin student body to trust them as many were displaced as a result of attacks from the Burmese military, which is predominantly Burman in ethnic composition. In addition, many grew up hearing stories of persecution by the Burman military, further deepening their mistrust. This historical and personal context created significant barriers to building relationships between the students and professors. This lecture series has helped both professors and students navigate their most challenging times. Faith has also played a pivotal role in fostering trust between these two groups, who have rarely had the opportunity to engage with one another on such a profound level.”

Sut Su Mai, a sophomore environmental science major, shared, “I…gained valuable insights into persecution and the efforts that can be made to ensure equality and acceptance…I hope to understand myself better and figure out how to equip myself for the betterment of our community. After graduation, my goal is to learn how to better preserve our country’s rich natural resources and ensure their sustainability.”

Based on the positive feedback from participants towards this inaugural lecture series, IGE, ICLRS, and KSCU will be conducting two more online lecture series in 2025 which will also provide students with the opportunity to interact with prominent international scholars and experts.

About IGE in Myanmar

Since 2015, IGE has partnered with ICLRS and local partners to conduct “Religion and Rule of Law” training programs in Myanmar that have included participation from citizens of different religious, ethnic, and professional backgrounds. In the wake of the 2021 military coup, IGE has remained committed to finding ways to support Myanmar and its people.  In recent years, IGE has partnered with various local partners committed to advancing religious freedom in the country including the Mandalay Community Center, Myanmar Council of Churches, and the Kachin Baptist Convention. Overall, IGE’s programs have reached 228 religious leaders, government officials, academics, and civil society activists from 19 states and municipalities across Myanmar. To learn more about IGE’s work in Myanmar, please contact IGE’s senior program officer Seng Mai Aung (seng@globalengage.org).