tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217442272024-02-19T15:39:49.374-08:00Khmer Youth Education Buddhist Center"No Gut No Glory"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-48061377361732302622012-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:002012-11-05T10:17:20.785-08:00Summary of 21st Anniversary of Paris Peace AgreementOp-Ed: <a href="http://khmeryouth.cambodianview.com/">KC-YAA</a><br />
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This year is the third year Khmer-Canadian Youth Association celebrated the anniversary of Paris Peace Agreement (PPA). This year, the theme focused on <strong>"How peace mean to us? And how we can build peace?"</strong>
Many speakers who come from various disciplines and different backgrounds shed us light and gave us great input on this Peace Commemoration.
Sophan who is the president of the Youth Association and chair of the PPA Commemoration committee stressed on the importance of PPA comparing to the great civilization of the Angkor Era. He also valued the PPA as the renaissance of Cambodia. Further to his statement, the Youth will keep organize the Peace Commemoration annually to provide public with right understanding and help build peace together collectively. This concerted effort will not only ensure that Cambodia can get fruition from the PPA, the world will also share this peace process.
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MP Wayne Cao who is the member of parliament of Alberta government gave us a great importance on the decline of two countries who signed the PPA but Cambodia is still alive. The Russia union and Yugoslavia have been split, but he observed that Cambodia has been stronger by the PPA. He emphasized that the cold war has been died while the connectivity of people in the world has become more visible. On his sight back home of birth in Vietnam, Mr. Wayne Cao reflected on his life and his friend which both have born in the same location but made a living in different situation of political circumstance and economic development. Mr. Wayne highly appreciated the Peace Commemoration and he will join this celebration in years to come.
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Ms. Janyce Konkin who has extensively worked in Cambodia for "Initiative for Change" described the importance of building peace within individual first before expanding it to others such as family, community, nation and the world. In this context, Janyce shed us insight on both practical knowledge and academic theory. As her MA major focused on peace research, her conclusion wholly rests on individuals who must initiate peace within themselves first before outreaching to others. But she accepted the original interdependent of inside peace affects outside peace, and outside peace also affects inside peace. Her theory is not different from that of Lord Buddha and late Cambodian monk Maha Ghosananda. For the PPA, according to Janyce, it is a good instrument for peace development in Cambodia.
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<a name='more'></a>For Lynda whose profession is a teacher especially her experiences in South East Asian countries, the social media will play important role in this region. Observing from what has been happening in the Middle East or Arab Springs, social media will inevitably drive force for change in countries such as Burma and Cambodia. She highly commenced on the following up news easily received by internet through computer or cell phone as the step stone to advance social change. Her moving philosophy on powerful leaders only who are afraid of their own crimes, corrupted mind, violence, killing, threatening and their secrecy that will be one day disclosed...not us who are afraid nothing and we must not afraid them.
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For Mr. Pol who is the recipient in Master's Degree of Social Work and Psychology from the University of Calgary, PPA has brought many things to Cambodia and her people. Huge aids have been annually transferred to this country. Not only the country and her people have benefited from the PPA, the Cambodian government led by the Cambodian People Party has tremendously benefited from this PPA. However, he viewed that the government is still falling short on implementing the PPA. Special Rapporteur of the United Nations has recently recommended Cambodia to reform NEC or National Election Committee to ensure that election is fair and neutral. Poverty and injustice have become a key point of failure of the government in abiding by the PPA. More than this, the killing of environmentalist Chhut Vutthy and the humiliating of Ven. Luon Sovath have been an outstanding case current government is losing its face at the international arena.
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All members who participated the commemoration this year have highly admitted that PPA is the pillar of this country. Without PPA, Cambodia might not be able to exist today. Mr. Roeung like Mr. Pol and Mr. Sophan as well see the PPA is the legacy of King Norodom Sihanouk who passed away at the age of 90 years old on 15 October 2012 at Beijing. Millions of Cambodians including Buddhist monks mourned and shared condolence in last few weeks. Mr. Chan Voeun highly appreciated the effort of Youth who can make this commemoration successful today.
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In conclusion, PPA or Paris Peace Agreement this year has been celebrated by Cambodian people worldwide such as Canada, United States of America, Australia, Cambodia, French, Switzerland and many other countries. There are Cambodian people demonstrated in front of the United Nations in New York, and at the headquarter of the UNs in Switzerland. This commemoration has been seen as the public education, unification and peace building for all people regardless of their political tendency, color, age or social status. The participants and organizers have expected to build lasting peace and sustainable development for Cambodia. All participants and organizers got off home to the union or street to commemorate this day in order to stop all culture of pointing finger and coloring on each others.
May all being experience Peace, Progressive and Justice!!
21st Anniversary Organizer
<strong>Watching all movies non-stop</strong>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-37293466385681041062011-08-30T10:33:00.000-07:002011-08-30T10:35:35.717-07:00Youth can enforce democracy <div class="post-body" id="post-2182074023102514616"> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK52MOHCN0inZNQ9PZ5uj86LSZRFx-apDNR4BZCDybKPAeHu-Cl0grXiiRtbhjL3e6M_khc9XSmj0VS15NFBYQ9RnDCc0hVK753yWcIIf2RJUWIg0KoPcc5kvlGRipAXPy1fjTg/s1600/Koul+Panha+%2528Philippine+Daily+Enquirer%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK52MOHCN0inZNQ9PZ5uj86LSZRFx-apDNR4BZCDybKPAeHu-Cl0grXiiRtbhjL3e6M_khc9XSmj0VS15NFBYQ9RnDCc0hVK753yWcIIf2RJUWIg0KoPcc5kvlGRipAXPy1fjTg/s1600/Koul+Panha+%2528Philippine+Daily+Enquirer%2529.jpg" border="0" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koul Panha</td></tr> </tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-small;">Monday, August 29th, 2011</span>
<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Kristine Felisse Mangunay</span>
<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Philippine Daily Inquirer </span>
<br /><blockquote>“The youth have the power to enforce democracy for a better society. They have to get involved in politics so they can be trained to become leaders,” he said.</blockquote>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">He was only 8 years old when his father, a clerk at Cambodia’s Supreme Court, was killed by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thirty-five years after that murder, some of the leaders of the murderous regime are on trial for war crimes while the boy has become a fighter for democracy—one of this year’s winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, dubbed Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Though decades have passed since his father was killed, Koul Panha has not forgotten. He was on the verge of tears when he spoke of those dark times in his country during an interview with the Inquirer at the weekened.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul’s father was picked up by soldiers of the Khmer Rouge in 1976 and ordered to gather beans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“My father knew that he would be faced with great danger. After a few days, I received information from the villagers that he was killed,” Koul said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The senior villagers told me that <i style="color: red;"><b>my father did not let the Khmer Rouge guards and soldiers kill him easily as <span style="background-color: yellow;">he fought back</span></b></i>.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="color: red; text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The image of how his father must have died has remained indelible in Koul’s mind. It taught him the value of democracy.</span></b></i></div><a name="more"></a>
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fight for democracy</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ramon Magsaysay Foundation cited Koul for his efforts at promoting fair and honest elections in Cambodia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Five other recipients of this year’s awards for outstanding work in their respective fields come from India, Indonesia and the Philippines. The awarding ceremony will be held on Aug. 31 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The awardees will each receive a certificate, a medallion and a cash prize.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was the death of his father that pushed Koul to decide to be at the forefront of Cambodia’s struggle for democratization.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul believes the brutalities and the human rights abuses that he, his family and other Cambodians experienced while living under the thumb of the communist regime could be prevented in a stable, democratic country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For this, he said, the advancement of a free electoral system was crucial.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Courageous leadership</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“<i style="color: red;"><b>In a fragile democracy like Cambodia … a sustained work to aggressively campaign and advocate free, fair and meaningful elections is necessary in order to promote democracy</b></i>,” Koul said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In its citation, the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation praised Koul for “his determined and courageous leadership of the sustained campaign to build an enlightened, organized and vigilant citizenry who will ensure fair and free elections—as well as demand accountable governance by their elected officials—in Cambodia’s nascent democracy.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Images of how dangerous it was to live under the Khmer Rouge were still clear in Koul’s mind as he recalled a time in 1975 when his family hid in a trench amid rumors that Phnom Penh, the capital, was going to be bombed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Khmer Rouge took over the city that year, his family was forced to leave their house without being given a chance to take their possessions with them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“My mother complained and protested when the Khmer Rouge ordered us to leave our house,” he said. “My father stopped her, telling her that if she protested she could be shot.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following year, the Khmer Rouge took away his father and shot him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>
<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Free elections</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Led by Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. It is said to have caused the death of 2 million people—or as much as one-fourth of country’s population—from starvation, overwork, torture or execution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Khmer Rouge were driven from power in January 1979 by a Vietnamese invasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After graduating with a BS Chemical Industry Engineering degree in Phnom Penh in 1991, Koul joined the nonpartisan Task Force on Cambodian Elections. This eventually became the Committee for Free and Fair Elections (Comfrel).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1998, Koul became its executive director.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“A main motivation for joining (this) came from my own experience. When I was a child, Phnom Penh was bombed many times. I did not want this to happen again,” Koul said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Comfrel network</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After earning his master’s degree in Politics of Alternative Development, Koul committed himself full time to Comfrel’s mission.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under his leadership, the organization became the country’s leading independent center on electoral matters, now with a nationwide network of partners and more than 50,000 election volunteers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the 2008 elections, more than 10,000 of the center’s volunteers were deployed to cover 60 percent of the electoral precincts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cambodia’s democratic progress has been slow and turbulent since the fall of the Khmer Rouge. It was only in 1993 when it held its first national elections. Since then, it has held five other national and local polls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These elections were characterized by fraud, violence and factionalism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Young democracy</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Cambodia’s democracy can be referred to as a young democracy,” Koul said. “This democracy began recently, a short period after the genocide, post-conflicts, human rights abuses and oppression.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Owing to the country’s lack of democratic tradition, Koul had had to contend with harassment from parties who deemed political and electoral reforms acceptable only if they served their own interests.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul said that <i style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Comfrel began lobbying for the restoration of political stability and for a government commitment to violence-free polls.</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2000, it took its campaign to the grassroots by conducting electoral activities calling, among others, for gender equality in electoral representation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Long way to go</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul is happy to see his efforts have not been in vain.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The major political players in Cambodia have accepted that peaceful regular elections are the proper legitimate mechanism for installing or removing a government,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said, however, that the country still had a long way to go.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Although there are legal frameworks and procedures for electoral democracy in Cambodia, the country still lacks strong democratic institutions … and is threatened by the return of an authoritarian rule,” Koul said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To prevent this from happening again, Koul stressed the role of the youth and of education.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The youth have the power to enforce democracy for a better society. They have to get involved in politics so they can be trained to become leaders,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul said the youth was the “hope” of every nation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If they are informed, he said, then democracy can fully develop and the human rights violations that characterized the Khmer Rouge regime can be prevented.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koul said winning the Ramon Magsaysay Award would be a “source of energy” for him which he could use to “work harder.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This will further encourage the organizations that I work for,” he said.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-43124283387240980012011-08-16T18:01:00.000-07:002011-08-16T18:18:40.269-07:00Ou ApsaraApsara is the goddess of Cambodia. Trudy Jacobson in her book "Lost Goddesses: Denial of Female Power in Cambodian History" has illustrated significant positions of Cambodian feminism.Apsaras are the symbolic icon of Cambodian women that symbolize both beauty and socially responsible citizenship.
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<br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GLP4XJruwK0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-2943652098147628452011-08-13T23:26:00.000-07:002011-08-13T23:28:24.779-07:00Education for the economy UNDP ៖ យុវជនប្រមាណ៣០ម៉ឺននាក់មិនមានជំនាញតម្រូវតាមទីផ្សារការងារ<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:6;"><span style="font-size:24pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011081251032/Business/education-for-the-economy.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">Education for the economy </span></a></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:180%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:20pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63409:undp--&catid=2:business-news&Itemid=77" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">UNDP </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">៖ </span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:14pt" lang="KHM">យុវជនប្រមាណ៣០ម៉ឺននាក់មិនមានជំនាញតម្រូវតាមទីផ្សារការងារ</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="KHM"> </span></span></a></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:180%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:20pt;font-weight:bold"></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:6;"><span style="font-size:24pt;font-weight:bold"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB">Friday, 12 August 2011 15:01</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">, May Kunmakara and Sim Virinea, The Phnom Penh Post</span></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="FR"><img alt="110812_7" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=df2514dcd8&view=att&th=131c67abb0887a80&attid=0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ac2d87c432b6c09_0.1&zw" border="0" height="255" width="383" /><a title=""" " href="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/images/stories/news/national_pk/2011/110812/110812_9.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img alt="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/images/resized/images/stories/news/national_pk/2011/110812/110812_9_280_187.jpg" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=df2514dcd8&view=att&th=131c67abb0887a80&attid=0.2&disp=emb&realattid=ac2d87c432b6c09_0.2&zw" border="0" height="265" width="397" /></span></span></a></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Photo by: Heng Chivoan </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Graduates listen to Prime Minister Hun Sen speak yesterday at the National Institute of Education in Phnom Penh.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">
<br />Some 300,000 young Cambodians are entering the domestic labour market every year, but often don’t have the skill sets required by private sector employers, UN Development Programme Deputy Country Director Sophie Baranes said yesterday.
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<br />Improving human capital in Cambodia requires a concentrated effort by stakeholders such as government, private sector and education institutions, she said.
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<br />“In order to succeed, a sustainable programme of training, or higher education reform, is needed.”
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<br />Yesterday, the UNDP in conjunction with the government issued a report titled Human Capital Implications of Future Economic Growth in Cambodia, aiming to provide a roadmap to building up high quality human capital to boost the economy.
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<br />“At present, there exists a significant gap between market demand and the skills available, and existing educational institutions and curricula are often unresponsive to market demands and the need of the private sector,” the report said.
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<br />Supreme National Economic Council Deputy Secretary General Hav Ratank said the government had prioritised human resource development.
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<br />Cambodia’s intention to develop its industry requires simultaneous human capital development, he said.
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<br />Although there is much work still to be done, Hav Ratanak highlighted work done by the government to improve the situation.
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<br />He noted the education budget had increased 8 times over in the 10 years from 2000 to 2010, and added certain measures had been adopted following the global economic crisis to promote employment.
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<br />So far, the programmes have assisted 40,000 laid-off workers find employment, he said.
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<br />“Indeed, it’s necessary for the government [to assist on human capital development] … but it needs wide cooperation from all the stakeholders and development partners,” he said.
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<br />The report laid out a number of short- and long-term recommendations, ranging from stopping school drop-outs to improving vocational training and reforming higher education.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:180%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:20pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63409:undp--&catid=2:business-news&Itemid=77" target="_blank">UNDP <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">៖ យុវជនប្រមាណ៣០ម៉ឺននាក់មិនមានជំនាញតម្រូវតាមទីផ្សារការងារ </span></span></a></span></span></b></p> <p style="margin-left:36pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:85%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:10pt" lang="EN-GB">Friday, 12 August 2011 15:04 </span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:36pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">ម៉ៃ គុណមករា និង ស៊ឹមវិរីនា </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:85%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:36pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៏</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:36pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:85%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:10pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="FR"><a title=""" " href="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/images/stories/news/national_pk/2011/110812/110812_9.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';text-decoration:none"><img alt="http://khmer.phnompenhpost.com/images/resized/images/stories/news/national_pk/2011/110812/110812_9_280_187.jpg" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=df2514dcd8&view=att&th=131c67abb0887a80&attid=0.3&disp=emb&realattid=ac2d87c432b6c09_0.3&zw" border="0" height="203" width="304" /></span></span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:85%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">ភ្នំពេញៈ លោកស្រី </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">Sophie Baranes </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">នាយករងប្រចាំប្រទេសនៃកម្មវិធីអភិវឌ្ឍន៍អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ (</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">UNDP) </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">ប្រចាំ នៅកម្ពុជា បានឲ្យដឹងកាលពីម្សិលមិញថា យុវជនកម្ពុជាប្រមាណជា៣០ម៉ឺននាក់ កំពុងបោះជំហានចូលមកក្នុងទីផ្សារពលកម្មក្នុងស្រុកជារៀងរាល់ ឆ្នាំ ប៉ុន្តែអ្នកទាំងនោះភាគច្រើនមិនមានជំនាញដែលនិយោជកមកពីវិស័យឯក ជនត្រូវការឡើយ។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">លោក ស្រីបានបន្តថា ការលើកកម្ពស់ធនធានមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា ទាមទារនូវកិច្ចខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែងជារួមពីភាគីពាក់ព័ន្ធដូចជា រដ្ឋាភិបាល វិស័យឯកជន និងគ្រឹះស្ថានអប់រំនានា៖ </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">«</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">ដើម្បី សម្រេចបានជោគជ័យនូវការលើកកម្ពស់ធនធានមនុស្ស ចាំបាច់ត្រូវមានកម្មវិធីបណ្តុះបណ្តាលប្រកបដោយនិរន្តរភាព ឬការធ្វើកំណែទម្រង់ការអប់រំកម្រិតឧត្តមសិក្សា</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">»</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">កាលពីម្សិលមិញ </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">UNDP </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">សហការជាមួយរដ្ឋាភិបាល បានចេញរបាយការណ៍មួយ មានចំណងជើងថា </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">«</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">ទំនាក់ទំនងរវាងធនធានមនុស្សទៅនឹងកំណើនសេដ្ឋកិច្ចនៅកម្ពុជានា ពេលអនាគត</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">» </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">ក្នុងគោលបំណងបង្ហាញទិសដៅអនុវត្ត ដើម្បីកសាងធនធានមនុស្ស ដែលមានគុណភាពខ្ពស់ សម្រាប់ធ្វើឲ្យមានកំណើនសេដ្ឋកិច្ច។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">របាយការណ៍នោះបានលើកឡើងថា៖ </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">«</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">បច្ចុប្បន្ន តម្រូវការទីផ្សារ និងជំនាញដែលអាចរកបានមានគម្លាតខុសគ្នាយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ហើយគ្រឹះស្ថានអប់រំ និងកម្មវិធីសិក្សា ដែលមានស្រាប់ មិនបានឆ្លើយតបទៅនឹងតម្រូវការទីផ្សារ និងតម្រូវការរបស់វិស័យឯកជនឡើយ</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">»</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">លោក ហាវ រតនៈ អគ្គលេខាធិការរងនៃឧត្តមក្រុមប្រឹក្សាសេដ្ឋកិច្ចជាតិ(</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">SNEC)</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">បាន ឲ្យដឹងថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលបានផ្តល់អាទិភាពលើការអភិវឌ្ឍធនធានមនុស្ស។ លោកបញ្ជាក់ថា គោលបំណងកម្ពុជាក្នុងការអភិវឌ្ឍឧស្សាហកម្មនេះទាមទារការ អភិវឌ្ឍធនធានមនុស្សពេលដំណាលគ្នា។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">ទោះ បីមានការងារជាច្រើន ដែលត្រូវធ្វើបន្តទៀតក្តី ប៉ុន្តែលោក ហាវ រតនៈ បញ្ជាក់អំពីការងារ ដែលសម្រេចបានដោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលក្នុងការលើកកម្ពស់ស្ថានភាពនេះដែរ។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">លោក ថ្លែងថា ថវិកាអប់រំបានកើនលើស កាលពី១០ឆ្នាំមុន (ឆ្នាំ២០០០ ដល់ ឆ្នាំ២០១០) ៨ដង ហើយថា វិធានការមួយចំនួនត្រូវបានយកមកអនុវត្ត បន្ទាប់ពីមានវិបត្តិសេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិភពលោក ដើម្បីលើកកម្ពស់ការងារ។ លោកបានឲ្យដឹងថា មកដល់ពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន កម្មវិធីទាំងនេះ បានជួយឲ្យកម្មករចំនួន៤ម៉ឺននាក់ ដែលត្រូវគេព្យួរការងារ ស្វែងរកការងារបានធ្វើវិញ។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">លោកបន្តថា៖ </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">«</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">ការ ពិតនេះជាប្រការចាំបាច់សម្រាប់រដ្ឋាភិបាល ដើម្បីជួយអភិវឌ្ឍធនធានមនុស្ស តែវាត្រូវការកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការយ៉ាងទូលំទូលាយពីភាគីពាក់ ព័ន្ធ និងដៃគូអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ទាំងអស់</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">»</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="KHM">។</span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB"></span></span></p> <span style="font-family:Khmer OS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black;font-size:12pt" lang="KHM">របាយ ការណ៍បានដាក់ចេញអនុសាសន៍រយៈពេលវែងនិងខ្លីមួយចំនួនដូចជា ការបញ្ឈប់ការបោះបង់ការសិក្សារបស់កុមារ សំដៅលើកកម្ពស់ការបណ្តុះបណ្តាលជំនាញវិជ្ជាជីវៈនិងកែទម្រង់ការអប់ រំឧត្តមសិក្សា៕ </span></span><span style="font-family:Khmer OS;color:black;"><span style="font-family:'Khmer OS';color:black" lang="EN-GB">CS</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-61684795522417425782011-08-11T23:16:00.000-07:002011-08-11T23:19:37.633-07:00PhD Latest Status Symbol for Cambodia’s Elites <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><i><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Cambodia Daily</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><i><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">August 12, 2011</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Colleges and universities in the US and Europe often battle grade inflation, but in the tight-knit world of the Cambodian elite, a bigger problem might be developing: <b>PhD inflation</b>.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">High-ranking government officials and businessmen are increasingly amassing doctoral degrees. <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">State-run news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse has prefaced the names of officials with their “Doctor” or “PhD” titles, and Khmer-language newspapers frequently run large advertisements congratulating the growing number of new doctorate holders.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Prime Minister Hun Sen himself has a PhD from the National Political Academy in Hanoi, as well as at least nine honorary doctorates from institutions in a number of countries.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Senate and CPP President Chea Sim now boasts three PhDs and two honorary PhDs, including a PhD in political science from the Southern California University for Professional Studies and a PhD in “high leadership in the Senate” from the Open Seminary University of Cambodia.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Samdech [Chea Sim] did not request or do anything to get all these PhD degrees, but the universities provided them to him,” his Cabinet chief, Kunthea Borey, explained.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Ros Chantrabot, a historian and prominent member of the Royal Academy, said the abundance of PhDs is becoming such an issue that the government recently established a committee to oversee the quality of officials’ doctoral theses.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">There are currently about <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 0, 0)">2,000 PhD candidates</span> in Cambodia, Mr. Chantrabot said. “<b>In a small country like Cambodia, there are too many PhDs, which can lead to PhD inflation</b>,” Mr. Chantrabot said. <b>“Will these PhDs help Cambodia develop as a nation, or be a cancer on the nation or society?</b>”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In late 2009, a <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Malaysia-based organization called Isles International University</span> awarded PhDs to 19 senior officials, lawmakers and businessmen including CPP Senator Mong Reththy, former deputy municipal governor Mann Chhoeun and senior lawmaker Cheam Yeap.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Isles handed out another batch of doctoral and master’s degrees last week to 14 government and parliamentary officials, including Pen Pannha, chairman of the National Assembly’s legislation committee, and Koam Kosal, Cabinet chief for National Assembly President Heng Samrin. Mr. Heng Samrin also picked up an honorary PhD at the ceremony.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">By way of comparison, only one US president has ever held a doctoral degree, and only two of the current 16 US Cabinet officials have PhDs.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Isles International, which has a long history of making false claims about its accreditations status and institutional affiliations, is the current incarnation of Irish International University.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 204, 0)">Irish International</span>, besides granting an honorary doctorate to Mr. Hun Sen, the organization established a joint PhD degree program with Build Bright University, charging Cambodian students extra fees for “Irish” doctorates.<span> </span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">In 2006, the Irish government repudiated Irish International University’s claim that it was a recognized university in Ireland.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Since changing its name, <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Isles International has also falsely claimed to be affiliated with Belgian royalty and to have offices in the European Parliament.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Multiple PhD holder Mr. Yeap, the National Assembly member, said all of his degrees were earned through honest hard work. Mr. Yeap said he earned a “Post PhD” from Isles International in 2009. He also holds two PhDs – one from Northern Colorado University and one from California Global University, which offers online degrees and bills itself as “a global provider of USA education.” In official National Assembly communications, Mr. Yeap is referred to by the title “His Excellency Post Dr. Cheam Yeap.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mr. Yeap insists that all his degrees are legitimate.<span> </span>He proudly cites the title of his postdoctoral thesis: Strategy of Economy in Cambodia. “I never used money to buy it,” he said. “My PhDs had proper theses with my own writing, and I defended my theses presentations to professors.” All three theses are now available at the Senate Library, he said.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">According to Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a researcher for political and strategic affairs at Singapore-based Asean Studies Center, it is very common for politicians in Thailand to purchase academic degrees, but the situation is worse in Cambodia. <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">“It seems that having a PhD is…certainly to be used as a basis of promotion. But there is a serious negative impact on the overall educational system of the country,”</span> he wrote in an email.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">SRP lawmaker Son Chhay called the mania for PhDs “out of proportion in Cambodia” and said he was concerned the degree would eventually lose their value. “People can get PhDs without really studying, you know? You can see that the issue is a kind of business operation here…and we see there are some fake universities giving out PhDs to the very rich and very powerful.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Independent political analyst Chea Vannath said PhDs were now coveted as the titles His Excellency and Oknha (“tycoon”) were a few years ago, comparing them to other luxury items. “<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">Either they have so many PhD degrees, or they have so many houses or cars. It’s just the human ego to show off their belongings.”</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-63387045729792275012011-08-08T22:53:00.000-07:002011-08-08T22:55:37.159-07:00Struggle of Cambodian Youths in Making a Living<h1 class="contentheading clearfix"> <a href="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080550901/Lifestyle/dawn-til-dusk.html" class="contentpagetitle"> DAWN ’til DUSK </a> </h1> <div class="allshare_buttons allshare_button_r"><div style="float: right; margin-right: 10px; border: none;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" title="Post to Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" style="small-count" url="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080550901/Lifestyle/dawn-til-dusk.html"><span id="buzz-2063558402" dir="ltr" class="buzz-counter-long"></span></a>
<br /></div></div><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Dancing king</strong></span>
<br /><div class="mosimage" style="float: right; width: 383px;"><img alt="110805_7d11" src="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/images/stories/news/national/2011/110805/110805_7d11.jpg" height="255" width="383" /> <div class="mosimage_caption" style="width: 383px;">Penh Thavrith, 23, leads a group of youth through an evening dance routine at Riverside. <b> Photo by: KENNETH INGRAM </b></div> </div> AS darkness falls at Riverside, a small generator is wheeled into a vacant sidewalk space along with an amplifier and two powerful speakers. Neon lights from shops along Sisowath Quay provide a colourful backdrop as a small crowd starts to form.
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<br />“We chose this location because we can’t afford club fees and other [public] places are already full,” explains Penh Thavrith, 23, who says that his group of four young Cambodians have permission from commune officials to host exercise classes there each evening from 5:30pm until 8:00pm, seven nights a week.
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<br />“The people who come out here [to dance] are mostly 17 or 18, but we have some as young as two years old,” Penh Thavrith says, trying to catch his breath. “As soon as they can walk we will take them,” he laughs.
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<br />Asked about older participants, Penh Thavrith says they are welcome to take part, but that the music his group plays tends to attract younger dancers.
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<br />“The older people can go down the street and join other exercise classes,” he says, pointing down the sidewalk to another group of a dozen people following the lead of an aerobics instructor. A number of public exercise classes are held outdoors throughout Phnom Penh each evening and most are being led by the city’s youth. Penh Thavrith says they are a great way for him to earn extra money but carry other benefits for his customers.
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<br />“This is good for their health,” he says, pointing to the crowd of teenagers, many sporting sweat-soaked T-shirts.
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<br />“I want teenagers to know how to dance because those in the Pol Pot regime didn’t [get the chance] to,” he adds as an additional motivational factor.
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<br />The dance group says they incorporate pop music into their routine from a music station on TV, drawing a crowd of about 60 people in one night.
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<br />“The fee is 1,000 riel per person,” Penh Thavrith explains. “But some people [about 30 percent] don’t pay … we can’t really do anything about that,” he adds, indicating that the group relies on participants abiding by the honour system.
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<br />Named LAPdance after Penh Thavrith’s older brother Lap, a back-up dancer on a local TV station who teaches the others how to move, the group earns about 40,000 riel [$10] a night. Members acknowledge that the profits are not shared equally among them as seniority and experience accounts for how the money is split between the various instructors. <hr />
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<br /><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Urban mining</strong></span>
<br /><div class="mosimage" style="float: right; width: 383px;"><img alt="110805_7d13" src="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/images/stories/news/national/2011/110805/110805_7d13.jpg" height="255" width="383" /> <div class="mosimage_caption" style="width: 383px;">Phearith, 18, stands beside a collection cart containing roughly half-a-day’s pay: $1.25 worth of recyclable cans and bottles. <b> Photo by: KENNETH INGRAM </b></div> </div> DAYBREAK in Phnom Penh. Like a starter’s pistol, the first shafts of light cast upon the city each morning signal the beginning of a race, as people scour the streets for aluminium cans and plastic bottles. Wheeling collection carts as they sound a plastic toy in their hand, members of this largely ignored workforce squeak by, capitalising on discarded resources.
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<br />“You can rent or buy the cart,” explains Phearith, an 18-year-old who says he arrived in Phnom Penh one year ago with over a dozen friends from Kampot province, looking for a fresh start. With no capital, Phearith says he rents a cart each day as part of a business arrangement with the owner of a recycling depot.
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<br />“I collect cans and bottles but I must sell them to the [cart’s] owner directly,” he explains.
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<br />Canvassing neighbourhoods over a period of four to five hours every day of the week, Phearith says the resources he amasses are weighed at the depot and pay by the kilogram. Managers at the depot say the salvaged material is then forwarded to Vietnam for processing.
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<br />“One kilogram of aluminium, or 65 beer cans, is worth 5,000 riel,” says Phearith’s younger friend who stands nearby with another cart. “We buy cans from people at their homes and also collect the ones we find in the street,” Phearith adds, stating that he pays people 100 riel for every two cans they feed his cart and that five large plastic bottles get the same return. Collecting over a hundred metal and plastic containers each morning, Phearith earns about $2.50 on a typical day.
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<br />“I think it’s harder as a construction worker,” he says, describing his experience on construction sites in the past as “backbreaking” labour. “The pay was a little more, about 15,000 riel a day [$3.75] but it was too hard on me,” says Phearith, adding that there is a limited selection of jobs for him and his friends in the city. Asked what he would prefer to be doing, Phearith pauses to think.
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<br />“I have no higher education and quit school in grade three because I was sick a lot,” he replies. “I have no idea what else I can do.” Taking a moment to rest in the shade beside a large concrete wall in BKK1, Phearith is unwilling to reveal his full name because he says that people who collect cans are looked down upon by others, who see them as poor and uneducated. “It’s better than being a burglar,” says his 24-year-old friend who also pulls a cart for a living. “Collecting cans is easy. Anyone can do this,” Phearith adds, his eyes following a few motorcycles that drive past. <hr />
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<br /><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Double identity</strong></span>
<br /><div class="mosimage" style="float: right; width: 383px;"><img alt="110805_7d12" src="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/images/stories/news/national/2011/110805/110805_7d12.jpg" height="511" width="383" /> <div class="mosimage_caption" style="width: 383px;">Nob Nora, 23, works as a security guard by day and operates a public telephone booth by night. <b> Photo by: KENNETH INGRAM </b></div> </div> TAKING his first shift at 6am, Nob Nora orders noodle soup from a street vendor outside the building he monitors as a private security guard 12 hours a day. Dressed in a dark blue uniform, he looks much younger than his 23 years.
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<br />“I came to Phnom Penh [after graduating high school in 2009 in Kampong Thom] to generate money and pursue a higher education,” he explains, adding that his father died almost 17 years ago and he has no living memory of his mother.
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<br />“This job pays me $80 a month if I don’t miss any shifts,” Nob Nora says, adding that there is a $10 penalty for missing a day of work but it is less severe if he provides 24-hour notice. He has mixed feelings about security work, citing a bad experience with another company that posted him near Riverside last year.
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<br />“Sometimes I had to wait longer than two months to get paid and had no choice but to quit,” he says, explaining that his wage is enough to survive but not enough to help achieve his long-term goal of attending university to study information technology. In an effort to earn extra money, Nob Nora saved $75 to invest in a metal telephone booth and two cordless phones.
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<br />“I had seen someone with a telephone booth set up outside the Night Market last year and there was only one public phone so I decided to give it a try,” he says. Once his 12-hour security shift ends at 6pm, Nob Nora makes his way home only to change out of uniform before heading back outside – most evenings – to run the booth near Phsar Reatrey, the weekend night market located at Riverside.
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<br />He has little contact with others despite the bustle around him, except for customers and a few people who take money from him each evening.
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<br />“I pay 400 riel to government officials like everyone else along this street,” he explains. “One is a hygiene officer and the other is an order officer, both from the municipality.” Asked if he agrees with the fees, Nob Nora says that it is a part of life in the city and was worse only a few months ago.
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<br />“It’s OK but before I didn’t think it was fair. I used to have to pay 1,400 riel a night,” he says, explaining that two private security guards near Riverside used to demand 1,000 riel from him. “I haven’t seen them for a few months now and I don’t know where they went,” he says.
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<br />Between 15 and 20 customers visit his telephone booth on an average night, where he makes about 10 cents per minute from local calls.
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<br />“I charge 300 riel (13 cents) per minute,” he says, explaining that most customers use his phones to connect with mobile networks that have been blocked by their own providers and that some cannot afford a mobile phone. Most of the people using his phones are Khmer, but Nob Nora says that the odd foreigner has stopped by to place a call.
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<br />“It’s mostly the same faces I see here,” he says. Fridays and weekends are the most lucrative for his phone booth, when he can earn between 10,000 and 20,000 riel per day compared to 5,000 and 6,000 riel on a weekday. Inconspicuous and impeccably dressed, Nob Nora stands by his booth until about 11pm before calling it a night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-63096402144448475122011-07-27T13:39:00.001-07:002011-07-27T13:40:29.419-07:00Freedom and the challenges of teen pregnancy in Canada<p><br /><a href="http://www.sophanseng.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Issue-81.jpg" _mce_href="http://www.sophanseng.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Issue-81.jpg"><img src="http://www.sophanseng.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Issue-81-208x300.jpg" _mce_src="http://www.sophanseng.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Issue-81-208x300.jpg" alt="" title="Issue 81" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-472" height="300" width="208" /></a>FREEDOM is the lifeblood of human enterprise. Free-market countries have higher standards of living, social development and productivity levels. Some, though, contend that freedom is a double-edged sword.<br /><br />Greater independence from parents and guardians can lead to the creation of a more open, more progressive society in which young people are free to engage their talents and amass practical knowledge.<br /><br />But some say too much freedom can lead to undisciplined and incompetent adolescents.<br /><br />In Canada, adolescents enjoy a wide array of freedoms, sexual, romantic and otherwise. But high teen pregnancy and divorce rates have some policymakers worried.<br /><br />Still, statistics show that national teen pregnancy rates have been declining. A study from 1996 to 2006 showed a drop of 37 per cent, compared with a 25 per cent decline in the neighbouring US.<br /><br />This doesn’t necessarily mean teenagers are less sexually active. In fact, a study found about 50 per cent of teens aged 16 and 17 engage in sexual activity.<br /><br />These findings confirm what has become only too visible in daily life: teens holding hands, hugging, kissing and generally revelling in young love, all in public.<br /><br />The teen-pregnancy study includes statistics on births, abortions and miscarriages. The Canadian government views all three outcomes as having a negative impact on society.<br /><br />If newborns survive the delivery process, teens are often unprepared to act as parents. And miscarriages and abortions can result in various diseases and complications that can stall the mother’s education and development.<br /><br />Teen pregnancy affects individuals, families and entire communities, placing a social and economic burden on the whole of society.<br /><br />According to the study, the welcome decline in teen pregnancy can be attributed to an increase in awareness about sexual health and protection among teenage girls, as well as increasingly easy access to clinics and family planning counsellors. Young women are using their freedom to make safer decis-ions, entering the adult world of sex and romance armed with more information and more confidence.<br /><br />The story may be different in Cambodia. Canada is fairly open to adolescent sexual activity and independent decision-making, but the issue is rarely talked about in Cambodia, where cultural conservatism and embedded tradition keep teenage sexuality under wraps.<br /><br />For this reason, teen pregnancy rates are higher and show little sign of declining. Until the Kingdom begins some sort of dialogue on teenage sexuality, young women in Cambodia will continue to have their education interrupted and their freedom curtailed.<br /><br /><strong>About Sophoan Seng</strong><br />I am the single son of a farming family from Siem Reap. I spent more than 10 years as a Buddhist monk. I graduated with a master’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaii and am a PhD candidate at the same university.<br /><br />My interests are social-capital research, the empowerment of young people for social change, and grassroots participation to developing democracy. I am a freelance and president of the Khmer Youth Association of Alberta. I can be reached at sophan@hawaii.edu.</p><p>Source of this article: <a _mce_href="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011072750642/LIFT/email-from-canada-freedom-and-the-challenges-of-teen-pregnancy-in-canada.html" href="http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011072750642/LIFT/email-from-canada-freedom-and-the-challenges-of-teen-pregnancy-in-canada.html">Phnom Penh Post LIFT</a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-12034999011554901582011-05-31T09:23:00.000-07:002011-05-31T09:24:26.572-07:00Youth Camp Project (Dhammicarika) on June 1, 2011Dhammacarika Youth Camp Project<br /> To facilitate for Cambodian youths to explore their inner potential in ethic awareness<br /> and social participation <p align="center">If you are planning for a day, plant rice<br /> If you are planning for 20 years, plan trees<br /> If you are planning for future generations, plant leaders.</p> <p><br /> <b>Organizer</b>: Youth Education Buddhist Center (YEBC)<br /> <b>Location</b>: Tep Pranom High School, Srok Pagnealoe, Kandal Province,Cambodia.</p> <p><br /> <b>1. Name of Project</b>: Dhammacarika Youth Camp Project or Youth Leadership Education</p> <p><b>2. Vision and Mission Statement</b>:</p> <p> Most Cambodian people recognize themselves as Buddhists in which this faith has embraced<br /> their spirit, way of life, culture and thought. Buddhism has played important roles in Cambodian society in the past, present and future. Through the profound teaching of moderation, middle path, self-reliance, mindfulness, ethic-based individuality, compassion, tolerance, non-violence and enlightenment has led Cambodian people to a satisfiable level of spiritual.<br /> <br /> Following decades of civil war, major social infrastructures have been abolished and split apart especially Buddhism which is considered as the main institute of society, has been degraded. During Khmer Rouge regime, those perpetrators started their expedition by destroying temples, sacred sites, burning scriptures, disrobing and murdering Bhikkhu monks. Definitely, they killed most of the educated figures. When most educated monks have been eliminated, the chronic difficulty of national Buddhist education is clearly informed. Nowadays, we are lack of effective leaders, up-to-date text bookss and accurate curriculum.<br /> <br /> Seeing these disadvantages, we are the young generation of Cambodia have initiated to establish Khmer Youth Education Buddhist Center to embark our journey specifically targeting young monks, students and children by providing them the opportunity of searching their inner capacity, leadership, self-awareness and wisdom for themselves, their peers, neighbors and communities.</p> <p>3. Objectives:<br /> Our important objectives are:</p> <ol><li>To provide opportunity to young monks, students or children to explore their inner<br /> potential through meditation and interaction.</li><li>To develop leadership capacity for monks and young students</li><li>To instruct them to be aware of learning sciences compatible with ethic responsibility.</li><li>To guide them in an appropriate way of replacing their bad habits and negative thought.</li><li>To wake them up in the spirit of becoming good children, good students, good friends, good citizens and good followers.</li><li>To envision them in learning, practicing, caring and spreading their proper culture and tradition.</li><li>To practice the Dhamma in order to gain inner enlightenment and pay gratitude to all elders, ancestors and heroes / heroines</li></ol> <p>4. Project duration: June 1st, 2011 to June 5th, 2011</p> <p>1. Target place:</p> <p>-Tep Pranom High School, Phum Tep Pranom, Srok Pagnealoe, Kandal Province, Cambodia.<br /> -participants: 1993 students with 943 girl students</p> <p>5. Administrators:</p> <p>- Mr.Sophan Seng = Consultant of Project (B.A, MA, and PhD candidates) <br /> <br /> - Mr.Bo Pao = Consultant of Project (B.A) </p> <p>- Preah Bhikkhu Vath Vibol = Executive Director and President of Project (B.A of MCU)<br /> <br /> 7. Curriculum and Teaching Process:</p> <p>a. Dhamma Comprehension Classes</p> <p>- Dhamma teachings of young generation existing of Morals, Concentration and Wisdom<br /> - History of Lord Buddha for the exampler of life development<br /> - Ethics and Behaviors emphasizing on Five Precepts, Five Dhammas, and Five Good Characters of People<br /> - Developing our life through three aspects of Birth, Awakening and Enlightenment</p> <p><br /> b. Practicing Classes<br /> - Chanting mantras and undertaking five precepts<br /> - Training to act courteousness, prostrating, and good-looking positioning.<br /> - Practicing to sit meditation, walking meditation and spreading good wishes<br /> - Question, answers and short skits</p> <p> c. Social participation<br /> - Training them to be aware of Nation, Religion and King<br /> - Getting involved in maintaining and spreading of Khmer culture<br /> - Involving in social and natural environment</p> <p>d.Special invocation</p> <p>- Reminding them to the virtue of Triple Gem and Parent<br /> <br /> 8. Estimated Budget:</p> <p>Estimated budget for one project cost arount $ 1500. Each project will be differently spent. </p> <p>9. Budget Expected from: NGO, Local Community and international donors<br /> <br /> 10. Expecting results:<br /> - All participants can have self-disciplinary and self-reliance<br /> - All participants can be aware of doing good deeds, avoiding all evil deeds and purify their mind.<br /> - All participants can develop themselves to become a good child, good student, good friend, good citizen and good follower.<br /> - All participants can enhance and raise up their capacity of social leadership<br /> - All participants can learn to develop tolerance, compassion, generosity and non-violence<br /> - All participants can share their visions and critical issue to better their community<br /> - All participants can get involved more and more in protecting environment<br /> - All participants can contribute their experiences to bring along with sustainable development.</p> <p>11. Responsible persons and Contacts:</p> <p> 1/.Bhikkhu Vath Vibol, Executive Director, Tel: (855)12 31 29 08, 90 722 050<br /> Watt Prasatbakong, Bakong Commune, Prasatbakong Districk, Siem Reap, Cambodia<br /> E- mail: kyso2005@yahoo.com www.cambodianyouth.org<br /> 2/. Preah Maha Hom Sothea Tel: (855) 12 329 694</p> <p> 3/. Preah Maha Douk Dom Tel: (855) 12 913 724</p> <p> 4/. Mr. Bo Pao Tel: (855) 17 379 730<br /> Consultants:</p> <p>-Mr. Sophan Seng, Tel: 1 (403) 455 8294<br /> (B.A, MA., PhD Candidate)<br /> E-mail: sophanse@gmail.com /sophan@hawaii.edu/<br /> http://www.sophanseng.info/ www.cambodianview.com</p> <p>-Mr.Bo Pao (Admin and Human Resoorce Manager )<br /> Phnom Penh, Cambodia.<br /> Tel : (855)17 379 730<br /> E-mail: pao_bo@yahoo.com<br /> <br /> 12. Publication:<br /> Youth Education Buddhist Center will be responsible for reporting to donors, and stakeholders.</p> <br /> Thank you very much,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-31505913294344808932010-12-09T10:52:00.000-08:002010-12-09T10:56:06.803-08:00Cambodia's Future After The 'Killing Fields'<span style="font-weight: bold;"><blockquote><span class="fullpost">"Angkor's Children" will tell the world they are more than just a country of tears; they are a country of dreams.</span></blockquote><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/979598320" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=608490322001&playerId=979598320&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /></span><a name="7572588851592049720"></a> <div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Belmont film maker Lauren Shaw explores the post genocide generation of Cambodians in her documentary "<b>Angkor's Children</b>."</i></div><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">By Len Abram</span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">BelmontPatch.com</span></b><br /><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXBeelt-mPt3FjRG_pdP9nP_rvlo8N7JTaQFJzTMNgmP_FTM1QUZSQTRx3mMfgwFVls5BsuHatvkokGbracnQIBU0E3QplZtpVPu1JE2DcrNbMnOdnFyL0NrfXaZNUrINnu0a/s1600/Angkor+Children+circus+%2528Lauren+Shaw%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXBeelt-mPt3FjRG_pdP9nP_rvlo8N7JTaQFJzTMNgmP_FTM1QUZSQTRx3mMfgwFVls5BsuHatvkokGbracnQIBU0E3QplZtpVPu1JE2DcrNbMnOdnFyL0NrfXaZNUrINnu0a/s320/Angkor+Children+circus+%2528Lauren+Shaw%2529.jpg" border="0" width="218" height="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="caption">A still from Lauren Shaw's documentary "Angkor's Children." <span class="credit">Credit Lauren Shaw </span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjAevo5pDfWg6zN_MH0APQL1k1dpFd0O3r3mGULJuDLNpEJ69tnjxU3yrG1JN6hW6hoCK_YSePNeLhRuBd9aSwWvtFVVJXLvzzGHBdK4FTela3ErSnItOg1a9Zi3-a5LHPkfl/s1600/Angkor+Children+02+%2528Lauren+Shaw%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjAevo5pDfWg6zN_MH0APQL1k1dpFd0O3r3mGULJuDLNpEJ69tnjxU3yrG1JN6hW6hoCK_YSePNeLhRuBd9aSwWvtFVVJXLvzzGHBdK4FTela3ErSnItOg1a9Zi3-a5LHPkfl/s320/Angkor+Children+02+%2528Lauren+Shaw%2529.jpg" border="0" width="320" height="214" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="caption">A still from Lauren Shaw's documentary "Angkor's Children." <span class="credit">Credit Lauren Shaw </span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP59SSliChTHU6nMHxZ9Mx7mHdQghPfw65E52S58eQw8MukSi5R55vwfhdYQIj3CzqpxFCFwva-ut3z3C__lxmcRWQmUCAcyZMrAwW9JL2plcuhgApW_aOcBy6rqy5cAV999H5/s1600/Lauren+Shaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP59SSliChTHU6nMHxZ9Mx7mHdQghPfw65E52S58eQw8MukSi5R55vwfhdYQIj3CzqpxFCFwva-ut3z3C__lxmcRWQmUCAcyZMrAwW9JL2plcuhgApW_aOcBy6rqy5cAV999H5/s320/Lauren+Shaw.jpg" border="0" width="238" height="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lauren Shaw</span></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">From 1975 until it was overthrown in 1979, the infamous Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot ruled Cambodia, murdering more than two million fellow Cambodians in a reign of internal terror not seen in modern history. The expression "the killing fields" represents what most people think of Cambodia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This great loss of life changed the Cambodian demographics: 51 percent of the country today is under 25, and large numbers of the survivors fled to the United States as refugees, many settling in the Boston area. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Belmont resident Lauren Shaw, an associate professor in Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College, teaches photography in Boston. She was visiting Vietnam in 2007 when she decided to take a side-trip to Cambodia, the site of one of the world's great architectural wonders, Angkor Wat.</div><span class="fullpost"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In contrast to Vietnam, she saw a country that was trying to rebuild after the horrors of genocide. It became apparent that Cambodia was a place she felt compelled to help.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Belmont Patch reached Shaw, who is preparing for another trip in December to Cambodia to work on her latest film, "Angkor's Children."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">See the trailer for "Angkor's Children" above.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patch: Your first documentary is about providing clean water to Cambodians, by contributing to the construction of wells. How did you first get involved in this village development project?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shaw: "A Drop in the Bucket" is a documentary about the need for safe water throughout the rural areas of Cambodia. Without good health and education, this country cannot move forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Water is essential for providing good health, something we Americans take for granted. In Cambodia, a well costs $350.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Change has to begin somewhere. My documentary explores how safe water improves the lives of villagers and ultimately the general population. My wish is that "A Drop in the Bucket" raises public awareness and becomes a call to action.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Q: A significant Cambodian immigrant population is in the Boston area. Are they aware of your work about their native land?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A: In Lowell especially, I know of many Cambodian immigrants. And that's in addition to many Cambodian children adopted by American families after the Pol Pot regime. I have not shown this film in Lowell, but have made connections within the community, many of whom have never visited Cambodia. They share a deep love for their country, however, and their hope for its future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Q: How will your second film "Anghor's Children" differ from your first? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A: "Angkor's Children" is about the post-genocide generation of young Cambodians. As noted, 50 per cent of the population is under 21. The seeds of the Angkor Empire of the 12th century lie in the Cambodian youth of today, which is moving beyond "the killing fields" to the aspirations of a new generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a story told by Cambodians, of energy, hope, and unexpected turns as they recapture the ancient, and embrace the modern, to create their future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I intend to focus on three Cambodians as they pursue their dreams. One of them, a young woman, who earned her living picking trash, is now is a leading member of the Battambang circus. Chai a former boy/soldiers is an engineer, who is working to revise ancient, water reservoirs so that more villages will have access to water. Boomer, a deportee from the US, uses hip-hop to teach gang members in the city how to get off the street and live constructive lives. They are determined individuals in their ambitions, not unlike kids anywhere, except for their tragic national past.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I get to Cambodia, I will determine if we have chosen the best stories to represent our theme of Cambodian renewal through this new generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Q: What is the LEF Foundation?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A: It's a private family foundation that funds the work of independent film and video artists in the region. The Foundation hopes to advance recognition and support for local filmmakers, both locally and nationally.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Foundation awarded our film $5,000 toward the pre-productions of "Anghor's Children," of which we have shot 47 hours of film. Following my trip in December to Cambodia, I have applied for a sabbatical semester to complete the film in Cambodia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Q: What do you think we Americans can learn from Cambodians and their tragic national experience?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A. We see a people of great courage, tenacity and resilience. "Anghor's Children" demonstrates those characteristics through the lives of young people, trying to find a place for themselves, against heavy odds. Their struggle is challenging and hard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Angkor's Children" will tell the world they are more than just a country of tears; they are a country of dreams.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information on Lauren Shaw's films, please visit</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><a href="http://www.laurenshaw.com/">www.laurenshaw.com</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.adropinthebucketfilm.com/">www.adropinthebucketfilm.com</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://www.angkorschildren.com/">www.angkorschildren.com</a></i></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-67098594901936796432010-12-08T20:39:00.000-08:002010-12-08T20:45:01.016-08:00Please help vote for Cambodian-Canadian hopeful skater Lexis Ly for her chance to share the first skate experience with Olympic heroes<div class="post-body" id="post-1208965830123204930"> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjQp89o1zDHa_lOVKlPmWjK9tW8JLqioVxm4QfDtr2X4mIBBDIg7hI3anSaDP3W_FKGDtC43MDyuMYL_7gQ8i1m6wmec5o3lqlCjEFUnNDZiKm86BZttw89jUsMkJYmTm8gg6/s1600/Lexis+Ly.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjQp89o1zDHa_lOVKlPmWjK9tW8JLqioVxm4QfDtr2X4mIBBDIg7hI3anSaDP3W_FKGDtC43MDyuMYL_7gQ8i1m6wmec5o3lqlCjEFUnNDZiKm86BZttw89jUsMkJYmTm8gg6/s320/Lexis+Ly.jpg" border="0" height="248" width="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11-1/2-year old Lexis Ly</td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Dear All KI-Media Readers,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Please, take your one minute to vote for <b>Lexis Ly</b>, a Cambodian-Canadian girl who is competing for Winspot Canada - First Skate Contest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To vote for her, click on the link below, then scroll down to "<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:red;">Lexis L.</span></b>" and click "<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:red;">Vote Now!</span></b>".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.winsportcanada.ca/cop/copevents/firstskatevote.cfm">Click here to vote for Lexis</a></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To view a video of our hopeful and spunky Cambodian-Canadian skater, please watch the Youtube video below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thank you!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">---------</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Vote NOW for your favorite top ten finalist! </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The top three vote-getters will <b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:red;">win the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the first skate experience with Olympic heroes Hayley Wickenheiser, Elvis Stojko and Christine Nesbitt</span></i></b> on one of three new ice rinks at Canada Olympic Park. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Please view the top ten video and essay submissions and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:red;">cast your vote from December 6 until December 12, 2010</span></b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The winners will be unveiled and claim their prizes on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at the athletic and ice complex at COP at the First Skate event.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HhNfJDqMfpc?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HhNfJDqMfpc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></div><br />Original source:<a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2010/12/please-help-vote-for-cambodian-canadian.html"> Ki-Media</a><br /> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-18889460795821491872007-02-10T01:34:00.000-08:002007-02-10T01:35:21.819-08:00Youth Camp Ordination Project 2007<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJajp-bgRJPmeaMMpsOh9zXqAs4010mj8G73ELE-rG9752kKtCGKwl1DCWBNgZ-rnUpS8O4PwugSgY-h0qXSlGDFHxFLVDXN7PqQ-bMO1mAhZRpPXR9vGftirc2OZBin6nYSjqQ/s1600-h/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJajp-bgRJPmeaMMpsOh9zXqAs4010mj8G73ELE-rG9752kKtCGKwl1DCWBNgZ-rnUpS8O4PwugSgY-h0qXSlGDFHxFLVDXN7PqQ-bMO1mAhZRpPXR9vGftirc2OZBin6nYSjqQ/s320/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029837021798796370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d30mDLiB5XL5ISKFvEqPcOF6rmQtxYaaHpEpo8mYrY0rFfRQ3r_Y0GDa3Afc3y8QvMXWmSjhfMQudu6VK5g1Oppi3-su0OPe45_Z9lb7KDgDo9XJvfuUuaFFQ2nZqHUOtHziFA/s1600-h/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d30mDLiB5XL5ISKFvEqPcOF6rmQtxYaaHpEpo8mYrY0rFfRQ3r_Y0GDa3Afc3y8QvMXWmSjhfMQudu6VK5g1Oppi3-su0OPe45_Z9lb7KDgDo9XJvfuUuaFFQ2nZqHUOtHziFA/s320/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029836923014548546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_6QhiEgwNlRnPc3mAUNwoQqlyrWDWId785U0KQCBum_EWYo8ORs8CyPO4egu86zIhNNcuSYL0SnzJy75efAV78Ha8pMYZsUsLeqDDH2DpOcLQ4dg3U6YEFguMYP-qUQz0_rLiw/s1600-h/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_6QhiEgwNlRnPc3mAUNwoQqlyrWDWId785U0KQCBum_EWYo8ORs8CyPO4egu86zIhNNcuSYL0SnzJy75efAV78Ha8pMYZsUsLeqDDH2DpOcLQ4dg3U6YEFguMYP-qUQz0_rLiw/s320/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029836802755464242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_SHuWHyTCKxEYwUg94M8mlBu48sZ2JQnPNbvITGEJZhVfDyWZChuql0zPVFw99zsejW64aJJsKJSU4fpUXvrXgTqgmsBMt7-XzMi3BUPxF4lrqU9v1vshOomTEBfVm9vascY7A/s1600-h/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_SHuWHyTCKxEYwUg94M8mlBu48sZ2JQnPNbvITGEJZhVfDyWZChuql0zPVFw99zsejW64aJJsKJSU4fpUXvrXgTqgmsBMt7-XzMi3BUPxF4lrqU9v1vshOomTEBfVm9vascY7A/s320/Youth_Camp_Project_2007_05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029836725446052898" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-1139040668042379222006-02-03T23:26:00.000-08:002006-02-04T00:14:32.136-08:00Youth Education Project Instructed in Srok Pouk District<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika047.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika047.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>Project</strong> : Wandering Dhamma Project to enrich Cambodian young generation with self-responsibility, self-reliance and moral awareness. It is organized by the Youth Education Buddhist Center which is under the patronage and concern of Cambodian Education Ministry.<br /><strong>Date </strong>: May 1-10, 2004<br /><strong>Place</strong> : Vidyalaya Pouk High School, in Pouk District, Siem Reap Province<br /><strong>Leader</strong> : Preah Bhikkhu Pannavisarado Vath Vibol<br /><strong>Main Advisor and Supporter</strong> : Preah Bhikkhu Vodano Sophan Seng<br /><strong>Participants</strong> : 3,000 of students and teachers<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika046.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika046.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika045.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika045.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika044.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika043.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika043.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika042.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/dhammacarika041.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/dhammacarika041.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21744227.post-1138696915802095282006-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:002006-01-31T00:55:39.990-08:00Khmer Youth Program of Moral Enhancement in Kompong Kdey High School 2003<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0004.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0004.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0002.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0003.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0004.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0005.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0006.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0008.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0008.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>Project</strong> : Wandering Dhamma Project to enrich Cambodian young generation with self-responsibility and their motherland awareness. It is organized by the Youth Education Buddhist Center which is under the patronage and concern of Cambodian Education Ministry.<br /><strong>Date</strong> : May 1-10, 2003<br /><strong>Place</strong> : Kompung Kdey High School, in Jikraeng District, Siem Reap Province<br /><strong>Leader</strong> : Preah Bhikkhu Pannavisarado Vath Vibol<br /><strong>Main Advisor and Supporter</strong> : Preah Bhikkhu Vodano Sophan Seng<br /><strong>Participants</strong> : 3,000 of students and teachers<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/1600/scan0009.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5740/2202/320/scan0009.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4