Myanmar kicks off 4th meeting of 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference

Leaders pose for a group photo at the fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on Aug. 19, 2020. The fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar kicked off in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday, with the aims to unite all ethnic nationalities and build a democratic federal union through dialogue. (Xinhua/Zhang Dongqiang)

The fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar kicked off in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday, with the aims to unite all ethnic nationalities and build a democratic federal union through dialogue.

President U Win Myint and two Vice Presidents U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, speakers of both Houses, Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, and representatives from 10 nationwide ceasefire accord (NCA) signatories ethnic armed organizations attended the opening ceremony.

Some 230 representatives from the government, the parliament, the military, invited political parties, ethnic armed organizations and civil society participated in the meeting.

The previous meetings of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference were held in August 2016, May 2017 and July 2018, respectively.

So far, 10 ethnic armed groups have signed the NCA with the government since it was initiated in October 2015.