As part of the Stories of Resilience and Resistance Advocacy Roadshow held from September 20–27, 2025, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), together with regional solidarity partners, conducted a series of university speaking engagements across Metro Manila to amplify awareness on the continuing human rights crisis in Myanmar.
The University Speaking Tour was held in three premier institutions — the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and Miriam College — in partnership with faculty and student leaders from departments of political science, social work and community development, peace studies, and related programs.
Myanmar youth and women leaders directly engaged youth and students from the Philippines in candid dialogues about the current political landscape in Myanmar, four years after the February 1, 2021 military coup attempt. Through personal testimonies and contextual briefings, delegates shared stories of repression, forced displacement, airstrikes on civilian communities, and the resilience of youth-led resistance movements across the country.
At Ateneo de Manila University, students participated in an in-depth discussion on the broader situation in Myanmar and the evolving role of youth and women in the struggle for federal democracy. The University of the Philippines engagement fostered a more intimate dialogue with students of social work and community development, drawing connections between grassroots organizing in Myanmar and people’s movements in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the session at Miriam College centered on peace education and women’s leadership, creating space for reflection on solidarity, resistance, and feminist approaches to human rights advocacy.
Across all three universities, the exchanges went beyond awareness-raising. Students raised critical questions on ASEAN’s role, the legitimacy of the junta’s planned sham elections, and the responsibility of neighboring countries in responding to humanitarian needs without enabling military control. The dialogues also opened conversations on transnational solidarity, youth participation in democratic movements, and the interconnectedness of struggles across Southeast Asia.
The University Speaking Tour strengthened people-to-people solidarity between Myanmar and youth from the Philippines. By grounding the advocacy in lived experiences and academic reflection, IID and its partners were able to broaden support for regional action and encourage young leaders in the Philippines to take part in solidarity initiatives for democracy, peace, and justice in Myanmar.
As Myanmar’s young generation continues to make immense sacrifices in their fight against military rule, the university engagements reaffirmed a shared commitment: that solidarity across borders remains essential in defending democratic values in the region.
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