Lauder Intercultural Ventures

BUDDHISM IN ASIA’S FINAL FRONTIER

In March 2012, Myanmar finally opened up to the world after 50 years of isolation under a military dictatorship (1962-2012), which was a major regression from the short-lived 14 years of independence from the British in 1948. Regarded as “Asia’s final frontier” for economic and business development, Myanmar retains its old-world charm with temples and pagodas dotting its verdant landscape. Relative to its population, Myanmar has a high proportion of monks, a handful of whom have garnered a following due to their involvement in politics and economics, such as the Saffron Revolution in 2007, and the controversial 969 Movement that opposes expansion of Islam. On this LIV, visit the cities of Yangoon and Mandalay to see well-known Buddhist sites and observe everyday Buddhist practices like chanting and merit-making at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Kuthadaw Pagoda, and Sagaing Hills, the country’s monastic center. Compare Buddhist practices with the popular local practices of nat (or spirit) worship, and weizza (or wizards). These religious practices will contrast an authentic 24-hour vipassana meditation retreat. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to meet with various country experts, including professors at Yangoon University, directors of the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business, and a few other business owners.

This LIV will explore the culture, history and politics of two societies confronting several complex challenges: (1) the turbulent transition from a planned economy to liberal capitalism, which all the countries of Eastern Europe experienced during the 1990s, and (2) the most violent conflict the European continent had witnessed since the end of World War II. Meet with refugees and survivors of wartime atrocities, many of whom still struggle with the trauma they sustained during the 1990s wars. Speak to leaders of non-governmental organizations and local activists to learn more about the challenges facing a region that was at war at a time when other post-socialist states experienced large-scale growth. Students will hear from business owners and executives trying to sustain and expand their businesses in an economically stagnant region where the wounds of the violent conflicts of the 1990s have never fully healed. The group will be able to speak with our commentators about what it was like to work under socialism before 1989, under international sanctions during the 1990s wars and today, when the privatization of formerly state-owned enterprises has largely reached completion. Government representatives and academics from Bosnia and Serbia will detail the difficulties that both states encounter as they try to prevent the “brain drain” of talented young people to the more prosperous states of Northwestern Europe.