Launched in July 2017, ‘Lat Khat Than (Sound of weaving)’ is a three-year project to empower female weavers and teaching staff at Myanmar’s vocational weaving schools for increased social and economic well-being, and to revitalize local cultural assets through design, and social and creative enterprise development. It is a collaboration between the British Council in Myanmar and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Embassy of Switzerland.
In partnership with Small Scale Industries Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and UK partner, Plymouth College of Art, Lat Khat Than will work closely with the Saunders Weaving and Vocational Institute to support its transformation into a Centre of Excellence through an innovative pilot model, which will be adapted to other vocational weaving schools nationwide.
By enhancing the creative capacity of teachers at the vocational weaving schools, Lat Khat Than will work towards supporting the Small Scales Industries Department’s long term goal of creating a new generation of female textile makers and entrepreneurs, who will also act as advocates for the sustainable growth of the textile sector.
Lat Khat Than is part of Crafting Futures, a culture and development programme, which aims at supporting local craftsmanship through business development and design-related activities in the East Asia Region. It will seek to implement a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable development of crafts in social, cultural and economic terms.
