In November 2017, Burmese writer, translator, photojournalist and political activist Letyar Tun visited Norwich to discuss his work within a new anthology, Hidden Words, Hidden Worlds, published by the British Council.

During this visit, Letyar stopped off at WCN Dragon Hall to record a conversation with writer and editor Lucas Stewart, and WCN associate programme director Kate Griffin. Listen below, or download to your device via Soundcloud or iTunes.

Find out more about Kate’s trip to Yangon for the Myanmar Literature Conference here >>

About Letyar Tun

Letyar Tun (b. 1972) was born in Yangon. He joined the 1988 democratic movement working for the newspaper Nyinyootyay (‘To Unite’) and participating in anti-government demonstrations, before joining the All Burma Student Democratic Front on the Thai/Burma border. He has spent a total of 18 years in prison; 14 on death row. He was released on 19 November 2012 in an amnesty to recognise former President Obama’s visit to Myanmar.

Since his release, he has worked in a number of roles for local and international media outlets including Radio France and Fojor Media Institute whilst focusing on his own writing and photography. In 2015 he showcased his photo essay titled ‘The Transitional Justice’, part of a photography project named ‘Framing the Transition’, at an international documentary festival in Yangon. In the same year, he spoke at the Cooler Lumpur Festival in Malaysia on media freedoms in Myanmar. He is a graduate of the 2015 Link the Wor(l)ds literary translation programme, of which Writers’ Centre Norwich was a partner, and recently gained a scholarship to study at the inaugural School for Interpretation and Translation in Yangon.

About Hidden Words, Hidden Worlds

This anthology is the culmination of a five year British Council Literature programme in Myanmar which gave voice to Burmese and ethnic writers through short story writing and translation workshops. This is the first anthology of short stories from Myanmar to be published in English and these stories present a country that goes beyond the familiar lens of isolation and dictatorship unveiling a storied and diverse landscape of people and place.

Read ‘The Court Martial’ by Letyar Tun >>
© Letyar Tun
Hidden Words, Hidden Worlds published by British Council, 2017

Read ‘The Poisoned Future’ by Myint Win Hlaing, translated by Letyar Tun >>
© Myint Win Hlaing
© translation Letyar Tun
Hidden Words, Hidden Worlds published by British Council, 2017

Hidden Words, Hidden Worlds is available to read online here. It not currently available for purchase. To request a copy, please email [email protected]g with your full name and postal address and British Council will send you one while supplies last.