World Engineering Day: MOI UM attended WED 2026 in Jakarta

Union Minister for Industry Dr. Charlie Than departed from Yangon International Airport on March 3rd via Myanmar National Airlines to Jakarta, Indonesia, to attend the "World Engineering Day" (WED 2026) event, organized for the first time in Asia by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII), with support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The event, themed "Smart Engineering for a Sustainable Future," is being held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from March 3rd to March 5th.

On March 4th at 9 a.m. local time, the Union Minister attended the opening ceremony of the "High-Level Dialogue on Strategies and Visions" session of the World Engineering Day 2026 event, held at the Balai Kartini Convention Center in Jakarta.

At 2 p.m. local time, the Union Minister participated in a panel discussion themed "Smart Engineering for a Sustainable Future" alongside former WFEO President Mr. Mustafa Shehu, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Mr. Meutya Viada Hafid, and Deputy Minister of Public Works Ms. Diana Kusumastuti. The discussion emphasized the need to cultivate not only engineering education but also competency-based education systems for the advancement of smart engineering in developing countries.

During the discussion, the Union Minister stated that for developing countries with limited access to advanced technology and skills, the success of smart engineering depends not only on technology acquisition but also on building human resources capable of deploying, managing, and maintaining it. He expressed his wish for all to collaboratively build an inclusive and sustainable future, as smart engineering is a pathway leading towards resilient, competitive, and sustainable prosperity.

The Union Minister was accompanied at the discussion by Myanmar Engineering Council Chairman Dr. Aung Kyaw Myat, WFEO Committee on Engineering Education Standing Committee Chair Dr. Zaw Min Aung, and Federation of Engineering Organizations Myanmar Vice-President U Tin Lat. The Union Minister subsequently departed from Jakarta Airport on March 5th at 1:05 local time and arrived back at Yangon International Airport at 2 a.m. March 6th, it’s learnt.