The "Britain-Myanmar Society" was founded in 1957 under the auspices of Lord Louis Mountbatten of Burma. Its members share a serious interest in Myanmar - a professional interest as writers, academics, diplomats etc, or long personal experience of the country. They include Myanmar people overseas. The Society is non-political - you are advised to look at the sheet of Frequently Asked Questions for what that means in practice.

The Society welcomes all nationalities and is moved by a desire for friendship and understanding with the Myanmar people, and devotion to their interests. Members undertake to respect the Society's high nature and purpose.

New members should be prepared to give as well as receive. Perhaps you could contribute a lecture in London, or useful material to the Research area of our web site. We shall provide the means for members to make contact with each other and share expertise across geographical boundaries. When a member publishes a new book, the Society helps publicise it. When outside authors and television producers look for particular expertise or experience, we put them in touch with the right members.

Up to now this includes the following areas: (more to follow - and would members please suggest what would be most useful to them, and in which areas they have something to contribute?)

1. The substance of 44 lectures (so far) at the Britain-Myanmar Society. Since 2000, these Internet versions have normally been illustrated with slides from the original lecture. Future lectures will also be made available to members whenever possible.
2. Links to brief notes on 122 books on Burma, in 77 back issues of Society meeting notices.
3. 8 (so far) full-length reviews of books on Myanmar.
4. A mechanism for claiming Society discounts on new books - some of them substantial.
5. A Research area - and History area. Autobiographical material will be considered.
6. A full and up-to-date list of our members - who currently number 430, with a facility to contact any of those who are on email (311 at present).
7. See our fuller Guide to the Members Area

Members receive a notice about ten days before each lecture, giving details of the speaker and subject, the dates of future meetings, notes on the latest books on Myanmar, and forthcoming events, plus details of significant additions to the web site.

The Society is non-political, and moved by a desire for friendship and understanding with the Burmese people, and devotion to their interests. Members undertake to respect the Society's high nature and purpose, and to treat each other with courtesy. Members must also respect each others' copyright and confidentiality, and those of the Society. In particular, members undertake not share their Internet password with others.
The more personal information a member provides on joining, the more he or she is likely to get out of membership. We plan to start sending our existing members a bit of interesting information about new members, to serve as an introduction. If you are willing to share what you write in the "About you" and "Interests" sections, with other members only, then please check the check box near the bottom of the form. Apart from that, all your details and particularly postal and e-mail addresses will be kept absolutely confidential.

The Society keeps its subscription low as a matter of policy. The annual subscription is only $14.95. This figure compares with book discounts of up to $21.00 per book that can be secured after joining.