A press release was made public at the inaugural ceremony on significantly celebrating the Day of the Shining Star as a holiday common to humankind.

It said that the institution of the Day of the Shining Star represented the unanimous wishes of the Korean people and the world progressives for celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday as a holiday common to humankind, adding:

The life of HE Kim Jong Il was a noble life of the peerless patriot and outstanding leader who devoted his all to the victory in the cause of human independence.

The world peace-loving people pay the highest homage to leader Kim Jong Il.

The press release said that the preparatory committee with Tha Win, secretary of the Yangon Regional Committee of the Union Solidarity and Development Party of Myanmar, as its chairman decided to hold political and cultural events such as celebration meeting, film show and photo exhibition in the period from Jan. 29 to Feb. 17.

It also appealed to the world peace-loving people to extend invariable support and solidarity to the Korean people's struggle for building of a powerful socialist country and national reunification.