The meeting with Kyaw Hla Aung was held on June 11, 2018 at the Russian-Armenian University in Yerevan. Mr. Aung was named as the 2018 Aurora Prize Laureate the day before, at a sunrise ceremony in Khor Virap, Armenia.

The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded to the lawyer and activist from Myanmar for his dedication to fighting for equality, education and human rights for the Rohingya people, in the face of persecution, harassment and oppression. During the conversation, attended by the Armenian youth and moderated by Salpi Ghazarian, Director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies, Kyaw Hla Aung told the audience about his fight for justice that came at a great personal cost.

Mr. Aung refuses to relinquish hope for his community, working tirelessly to improve educational opportunities for his people – both young and old. The obstacles he has encountered are numerous and burdensome: from salaries for teachers, furniture for schools and basic means of transportation.

You can watch the full video with the conversation below (in English).