The 2023 Knowledge Marketplace: exchanging ideas to tackle crises in Myanmar

 
Knowledge grows stronger when it is shared. With this maxim in mind, the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar initiative, supported by IDRC and Global Affairs Canada, will bring together experts and other stakeholders for a three-day exchange of ideas for a more democratic future in Myanmar.
A group of young women and men stand in front of photographs in an exhibit.
Shwe Paw Mya Tin / IDRC
Participants at last year’s Knowledge Marketplace attended a photo exhibit on women’s leadership in Shan State, Myanmar, hosted by the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar initiative.

The annual Knowledge Marketplace will take place at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, from December 1 to 3, 2023, with a November 29 event at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Co-hosted by the Knowledge for Democracy (K4DM) initiative, the School of Public Policy at Chiang Mai University and Asia Research News, the marketplace will delve into critical issues such as peace, gender equality, higher education, digital safety and climate change.

To maximize the exchange of knowledge, this year's event coincides with Chiang Mai University’s International Winter School on Public Policy, with researchers and policymakers specializing in digital governance and policy development, particularly in Southeast Asia. K4DM-supported researchers will lend their expertise to this winter school.

K4DM research partners will launch four books on climate change, higher education and peacebuilding during the marketplace and unveil an exhibition titled "Resilience through the lens" alongside small-group discussions led by K4DM researchers. Training sessions will cover topics such as digital writing, cyber security, visual policy briefs and digital rights.

The K4DM initiative began in 2017 as a five-year investment to bolster local research and analytical capabilities in response to decades of systematic underinvestment that had eroded Myanmar's ability to produce informed guidance for public policy.

With renewed backing from Global Affairs Canada and IDRC, the current four-year phase of programming focuses on preserving the progress made within Myanmar's civil society after the February 2021 overthrow of the democratically elected government by the military. Working outside of Myanmar’s borders, the initiative supports online training, fellowships and small grants for research in digital spaces.

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