Farewell to Inle Heritage: Honoring 15 Years of Impact and Inspiration
Credit: Inle Heritage
Dear Guests, Supporters, Friends, and Families,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Inle Heritage, effective December 31, 2024. After 15 years of growth, learning, innovation, and heartfelt connections with visitors, students, researchers, and supporters, this chapter of our journey is coming to an end.
Inle Heritage was founded as a self-funded project, reinvesting its income into impactful initiatives for youth development, community empowerment, nature conservation, and cultural preservation as a non-profit organization. What began as a project to safeguard the unique Burmese cat breed, reintroduced to Inle Lake by the China Exploration and Research Society (CERS) in 2008, soon evolved into a broader vision. We sought to inspire both our local community and visitors from around the world, showcasing the beauty and fragility of Inle Lake during a time of rebuilding and hope for our nation.
Recognizing the high costs of sustaining heritage preservation, we expanded in 2010 to include a café, a gift shop, a restaurant, and stilt houses as accommodation. This addition allowed us to generate income while sharing cherished grandmother recipes from the Inle region. Authenticity was at the heart of our culinary offerings, so we established a backyard garden to grow fresh, seasonal ingredients, just as our grandmothers did. This practice inspired us to explore sustainable agricultural methods on the man-made floating gardens within the compound of Inle Heritage.
Visitors often asked if our produce was organic, prompting us to delve deeper into understanding soil and water quality. Our findings revealed not only issues with water quality but also significant threats to the lake’s biodiversity: its plants, flowers, fauna, insects, and aquatic life. These discoveries motivated us to raise awareness among children, communities, and visitors about the importance of protecting Inle Lake. Along the way, our curiosity led to the collection of detailed water quality data over several consecutive years, monitoring 18 different parameters.
Building on these experiences, we initiated projects to promote sustainable waste management practices, such as grey-water treatment, and to emphasize the dangers of excessive single-use plastics, pesticides, and fertilizers. We also built an aquarium to showcase the endemic fish species of Inle Lake, collaborating with scholars, researchers, and local fishermen whose traditional knowledge provided invaluable insights. This initiative became an engaging and enjoyable way to educate children and visitors, encouraging curiosity, sparking questions, and fostering a deeper appreciation and awareness of the natural heritage surrounding us.
Over the years, our work expanded to include numerous interconnected initiatives that addressed both environmental and social challenges. This scientific approach to conservation was complemented by practical solutions, including demonstration projects for sustainable farming techniques and waste management systems that could be replicated by local businesses and communities.
Our heritage preservation efforts went beyond environmental conservation to include cultural initiatives. Through our facilities and programs, we helped document and preserve traditional Inthar recipes, crafting techniques, and agricultural practices. The gift shop provided a platform for local artisans to showcase their work, while our culinary programs helped keep traditional cooking methods alive for future generations.
While caring for the Burmese cats, we became increasingly aware of the broader needs of the communities around Inle Lake. This realization led us to focus on empowering the next generation of youth who could carry forward the mission of preserving Myanmar’s natural and cultural heritage. By providing alternative learning opportunities and fostering a sense of responsibility, we sought to ensure that our efforts would inspire sustainable change.
A particular point of pride for us has been the Inle Heritage Vocational Training program, an impactful initiative that created opportunities for youth who might otherwise have been left behind. We became the first school in Myanmar to welcome high school dropouts, offering them a chance to gain valuable skills and rediscover their potential. This bold step not only transformed the lives of many students but also inspired other education projects in the country to follow suit, broadening access to learning and hope. We are also honored that Inle Heritage serves as the only National Skills Standards Authority (NSSA) Center in Shan State.
To our 336 former vocational students, we hope you will pay it forward and continue to do good with the knowledge you gained at Inle Heritage. We wish for you to thrive and find success in whatever paths you choose. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey, for allowing us to learn about the challenges faced by your generation, and for helping us craft better learning systems. Your insights have prepared us to better support the next generation, and we are inspired by all we have learned from you.
We found great satisfaction in delivering exceptional service and unique experiences to visitors while also investing in youth development and community impact. So we would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to all our visitors who walked through our doors, those who stayed, dined, shopped, or even learned to cook with us. Your support has been the heartbeat of Inle Heritage, allowing us to share our passion for this extraordinary region and its traditions. Each visit, conversation, and shared experience has not only allowed us to be self-sustaining but also strengthened our mission and brought immeasurable joy to our journey.
Our heartfelt thanks also go to every incredible member of the Inle Heritage team since the beginning. Your unwavering dedication, creativity, and resilience have made these unconventional projects not only possible but truly transformative. Your courage to challenge norms and find meaningful solutions has been a driving force in our collective success. Together, we built more than just a place; we built a community, a vision, and a legacy. You have shown incredible adaptability and positivity in the face of challenges, and for that, we are endlessly grateful. We are proud of everything we achieved together and trust that these experiences will inspire and guide you in the future.
This closure comes as we face insurmountable challenges, including the aftermath of COVID-19 and the constraints imposed by the current situation in Myanmar. Despite these difficulties, we choose to celebrate what we have accomplished together. Though Inle Heritage is closing its doors, we trust that its legacy will endure in the hearts and actions of all who have been touched by its mission. We choose to honor the vision that brought us here and to carry its spirit forward into new endeavors. We sincerely hope that the seeds planted through Inle Heritage, seeds of environmental stewardship, cultural pride, and youth empowerment, will continue to grow in ways we cannot yet imagine.
As we say goodbye to this chapter, we are reminded of the lotus that graces Inle Lake. Its journey, from budding to blooming, and eventually fading, reflects the cycle of life and the grace of endings. In each stage, there is beauty, purpose, and meaning. Let us hold this image in our hearts as we move forward, inspired by the resilience and dignity of nature’s rhythms.
Thank you for being part of this journey, for believing in our mission, and for sharing in the story of Inle Heritage. As we close this chapter, we look forward with hope, gratitude, and the promise of new beginnings.
In the end, we can be mindful of three things:
• The love behind our actions, for while time may blur the details, the heart always remembers.
• The warmth, compassion, and sincerity we share, for they leave an indelible mark on others and ourselves.
• The care and devotion woven into our deeds, for it is these threads that give life’s tapestry its deepest meaning.
