The Department of Politics and European Studies and the Center for Myanmar Studies at Palacký University would like to invite you to a lecture by award-winning Burmese journalist and editor-in-chief of Mizzima Media, Soe Myint, who will assess the current situation in Myanmar five years after the military coup, the prospects for the future, and the role of the international community in resolving the crisis there.

Abstract:
On 1 February 2021, a military coup plunged Myanmar into a cycle of violence, tearing the country apart. Over five years on and despite recently stage-managed elections, the violence shows no signs of abating, with dire consequences for the people of Myanmar. Mr Soe Myint, an award-winning Burmese journalist who serves as Editor-in-Chief of Mizzima Media, will provide an overview of the current situation inside Myanmar as well as what we can expect over the coming years. Is there any hope to an end to the conflict, pitting the Myanmar military against an array of pro-democracy forces? What roles are regional actors playing in the conflict? Can the international community do anything to help alleviate the suffering of the people of Myanmar? The role of countries like China, Belarus and Russia which supported the recently held the junta's elections in Myanmar? Mr Myint will address these questions and more, as the trajectory of the Myanmar state hangs in the balance.
Bio:
Soe Myint is an award-winning Burmese journalist who has worked in the media field since 1992 in different capacities including reporting, managing, and training. He founded Mizzima (derived from the Pali word for “middle” or “moderate”) in New Delhi, India, in 1998 together with Daw Thin Thin Aung.
Mizzima Media broadcasts and publishes independent news, information, and entertainment via two satellite Free-To-Air TV channels, SW and FM radio, websites, Facebook, YouTube, and Mizzima Application, reaching more than 30 million readers and viewers every day inside and outside Myanmar. Mizzima, with a 26% market share, is the most accessed and most trusted news outlet by the Myanmar public, according to national media surveys conducted in Myanmar. Mizzima has also established the Mizzima Media Training Institute (MMTI) inside Myanmar to train the next generation of Myanmar media personnel.
Soe Myint is a regular speaker and invited guest at forums on media in Myanmar. He was the 2022 Greeley Peace Scholar at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and recipient of the 2022 East-West Center Journalist of Courage and Impact Award. Soe Myint’s publications include the 2003 release “Burma File: A Question of Democracy” and “Resisting Military Rule in Burma (1988-2024) – The Story of Mizzima Media: Born in Exile, Banned in Myanmar” which was co-authored with Indian human rights lawyer and author Ms Nandita Haksar in 2025.