The Ministry of Religious Affairs () administers the religious affairs, cultural affairs and historical and archaeology research efforts of Myanmar (formerly Burma). The Department of Religious Affairs deals with purification, perpetuation, promotion and propagation of the Theravada Buddhist Sasana and promotes Myanmar traditional customs and culture.
History The Ministry of Culture was established on 16 March 1952 as the Ministry of Union Cultures, and later renamed the Ministry of Culture on 15 March 1972.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) came into being before the Union of Burma (now known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) regained its independence in 1947. On 2 March 1962, the Union Revolutionary Council government reorganised all ministries. MORA became a department of the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs. On 18 September 1988. the State Law and Order Restoration Council formed the department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana, also under the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs. On 20 March 1992, the ministries of Home Affairs and Religious Affairs were separated. A cabinet meeting on 26 June 1998 confirmed that the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University would be formed under MORA.
On 1 April 2016, MORA and the Ministry of Culture were combined to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, as part of a government downsizing.
In 2026, after the elections of 2025 to 2026, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture was split into the Ministry of Religious Affairs while the "culture affairs" part of the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to form the Ministry of Hotels, Tourism and Culture.
Departments Union Minister Office Department of Religious Affairs To ensure that all people living in the Union of Myanmar can freely believe in any religion and freely practice that religion. Since the great majority of the people are Buddhist, to purify, perpetuate and propagate the three kinds of Sasana of the Buddha namely, Pariyatti, Patipatti, and Pativedha. To preserve and promote the traditional and cultural heritage of Myanmar. Department for Promotion and Propagation of Sasana - Responsible for supporting missionary activity within Myanmar and abroad. It also undertakes translation of Pitakas and compilation of Buddhist Treatises State Pariyatti Sasana University, Yangon State Pariyatti Sasana University, Mandalay International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University Department of Archaeology and National Museum Fine Arts Department Department of Historical Research and National Library - publishes the Myanmar Historical Research Journal National University of Arts and Culture, Yangon National University of Arts and Culture, Mandalay
Publications
The ministry's department of historical research, in collaboration with the National Library of Myanmar and the Myanmar Historical Commission, publishes the biannual Burmese language Myanmar Historical Research Journal (), an academic journal covering the history of Myanmar.
Ministers
NoNameStart dateEnd dateMinistry/DepartmentCabinet1U Tun Phay16 March 195212 August 1953Department of Union Culture2General Khin Maung Lay12 August 19535 September 1953Ministry of Home Affairs and Union Culture3U Win5 September 195317 November 1955Department of National Planning and Union Culture4U Tun Tin12 June 195625 February 1957Department of Education and Union Culture5U Tun Tin1 March 195718 July 1958Department of Education and Union Culture6Thakin Tin18 July 195828 October 1958Department of Mechanized and Union Culture7U Maung Kyaw Zan28 July 200528 October 1958Department of Education and Union Culture8U Chit Thaung28 October 19584 April 1960Department of Union Culture9U Ba Saw4 April 19602 March 1962Department of Social Welfare, Religious Affairs, Union Culture and Health1.Col Saw Myint2 March 196217 August 1964Department of Information and Union Culture11Col Thaung Dan17 September 19642 March 1974Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture and Social Welfare12U Aye Maung2 March 19741 March 1987Ministry of Culture13U Mya Maung2 March 197920 March 1979Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Information14U Man San Myat Shwe20 March 197916 October 1980Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Information15U Aung Kyaw Myint16 October 198018 September 1988Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Information16Gen Phone Myint21 September 19886 March 1992Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Information17Lt Gen Kyaw Yair Aung6 March 199220 June 1995Ministry of Culture18Col Thaung Myint20 June 199529 May 1996Ministry of Culture19U Aung San29 May 199620 December 1997Ministry of Culture20U Win Sein26 December 19979 November 2001Ministry of Culture21U Tin Win15 November 200112 September 2002Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Labour22Gen Aung Kyi13 September 200215 May 2006Ministry of Culture23Col Khin Aung Myint15 May 200629 March 2011Ministry of Culture24U Kyaw San30 March 201127 August 2012Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Information25U Aye Myint Kyu7 September 201230 March 2016Ministry of CultureThein Sein26U Aung Ko30 March 201631 January 2023Ministry of Religious Affairs and CultureHtin Kyaw27U Tin Oo LwinMinistry of Religious AffairsMin Aung Hlaing
See also Agga Maha Pandita List of Sāsana Azani recipients State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University State Pariyatti Sasana University, Yangon State Pariyatti Sasana University, Mandalay Culture of Burma Cabinet of Myanmar National University of Arts and Culture, Mandalay National University of Arts and Culture, Yangon
References
External links