MAKING YANGON liveable through heritage conservation and sustainable development – that’s the aim of a strategy released this week by NGO Yangon Heritage Trust.
The 150-page strategy, available in both English and Myanmar, includes a vision for a “historic city” reaching from the riverfront to the north of Inya Lake. It also features 24 action plans covering a range of areas, including expansion of green spaces, public transportation and improved streetscapes.
Founder and chairman Dr Thant Myint-U described the strategy as a “collection of our ideas”, and said he hoped it would spur public debate on the city’s future.
“It’s not a master plan, that’s the work of the government,” Thant Myint-U said. “We hope it will be useful to the government and will facilitate public consultation.
“The decisions taken over the coming months will shape this city for the rest of the 21st century. Finding the right mix of old and new, modernising the city but at the same protecting its unique heritage, planning for liveability, can make Yangon one of the premier cities in the region.”
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Vice chair Daw Moe Moe Lwin said it was said the strategy was developed based on four years of discussions with experts, government officials, businesses and ordinary Yangon residents.
“This Strategy can help show the right path for Yangon’s growth and development into the future,” she said. “Keeping the city’s unique character while capturing every opportunity for future sustainable development can lead to huge economic and social benefits.”
