“I have known Anthony Russell for a number of years. We met at a performance of my play The Lady of Burma, staged as part of the Brighton Festival.

I told him of my intention to answer Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s call to UK universities to engage with the reformation of the Burmese higher education system. I also shared the fact that I was finding it very difficult. Anthony took the trouble to mention my efforts to Mr Kevin McKenzie, the director of the British Council in Myanmar. This led to an introduction and then to Mr McKenzie accepting an invitation to attend the first Myanmar seminar at Goldsmiths. Mr McKenzie’s presence ensured the Warden and his senior colleagues also attended.

Since this time, I have had growing support from the college and I am certain that none of this would have been possible without Anthony’s timely intervention. I will always be grateful. We now are on the verge of running joint projects in Mandalay and Yangon with the National University of the Arts and Culture.”