Burma’s Struggle for Democracy: A Child’s-Eye View

For more than 50 years, Burma, also known as Myanmar, was among the most isolated and oppressed nations in the world. In 2011, the government began to implement democratic reforms. Yet beyond the media spotlight, human rights abuses have continued. In Forced to Flee: Visual Stories by Refugee Youth from Burma 196 “visual stories” painted by refugee youth bridge language and cultural barriers that have shielded the outside world from haunting, humbling and awe-inspiring truths behind Burma’s decades-long civil war. The book is a testament to the indomitable spirit of those forced to flee injustice in Burma and the transformative power of art.

Bearing witness to the real-life stories of children forced to flee violent conflict and persecution in their native land, the book illustrates how a single narrative image can tell the story of a thousand words while building bridges of understanding. Supported by the book’s “Ways to Help” appendix and a dynamic website, the youths’ poignant and powerful paintings inspire compassionate action on behalf of those forced to flee.