“Bring Cambodia to the World,” Youths Share Stories of the Country Through Public Speaking
On March 2, ten young enthusiasts rocked the stage of an English-speaking contest organized by Cambodia ASEAN International Institute. Photo: Cam-ASEAN
- By Teng Yalirozy
- March 4, 2024 7:10 PM
PHNOM PENH – How does the world see Cambodia? The power of words can give people, and especially non-Cambodians, a new image of a country once torn apart by war.
On March 2, ten young enthusiasts rocked the stage of an English-speaking contest held at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Center (CKCC). Under the theme “Bring Cambodia to the World,” it was organized by the Cambodia-ASEAN International Institute.
The contest aimed to bring new perspectives on Cambodia, its development and the wave of modernity that is sweeping the country more than 25 years after the death of Pol Pot, which marked the true end of the Khmer Rouge era.
Chea Chanmolika, 17, a high school student and one of the contestants, chose the Apsara dance as the subject she wanted to showcase.
“Apsara dance illustrates numerous things from worshiping to the joy and sadness of Cambodia,” she said. “It’s also a transitional dance that allows outsiders to discover Cambodian culture.”
Noch Sreypich, 20, presented the Cambodian flag. Her topic was entitled “Red, White and Blue; Cambodia: A Developing Wonder.” Sreypich said she tried to narrow down what to say about Cambodia as the country has many things to offer. Every participant had only 12 minutes to present their talk.
“I thought of ways to present Cambodia through its flag. I’ve always been a big fan of symbolism, so I realized I could take each color of the flag and make three different but complementary stories. That way is easier for everybody to understand the meaning of each color.”
Noch Sreypich, 20, presented the Cambodian flag. Her topic was entitled “Red, White and Blue; Cambodia_ A Developing Wonder.” Photo_ Rin Ousa
Heng Vanputbandith, the executive director of the Cambodia-ASEAN International Institute which organized the contest, sees the competition as an opportunity to tell what Cambodia is like as judges are from different countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States or Tajikistan.
“This is not only a competition but also a mission to bring Cambodia to the world through the young resources of the country,” he said.
Seang Sopagna, president of the Cam-ASEAN Institute, said Cambodia was once a great empire but declined for many years due to internal conflicts and the war.
“However, the spirit of our empire lives on,” he said. “The contestants will ignite the heart of the public and bring Cambodia to the world by the power of language.”
He added that Cambodia’s image is also tarnished by foreign medias, which tend to cover mostly negative events happening in the country. It is the time, Sopagna said, for the young to bring Cambodia to the world through a different lens.
“If our youth has the choice to talk about Cambodia, they should choose to talk about something positive,” said Sopagna. “That’s why we have to project positive images about Cambodia, which is the reality, to the world so that the world gets to know Cambodia from a lens of positivity.”
Wayne Messenger, a judge from the United Kingdom, said all participants had huge potential and had demonstrated special skills for presentation.
“Public speaking is very important. In my country, people don’t give as much emphasis as here for some reasons. I don’t know why,” he said. “Giving presentations involves many skills, such as having confidence and doing research.”
Hut Meilang, 19, is the Champion of the English Contest 2024. She presented a talk on “Cambodia: Beyond What Meets the Eyes.”
Hut Meilang, 19, is the Champion of the English Contest 2024. She presented a talk on “Cambodia_ Beyond What Meets the Eyes.” Photo_ Cam-ASEAN
During the presentation, she said she was heartbroken as she was mistaken for being Vietnamese because she spoke fluent English. Meilang wanted the world to see Cambodia beyond the decades of war that tore the country in the 70s, 80s and 90s, focusing on the country’s culture, national treasure, temples, traditions and the heart of its people.
Seang Sopagna said the contest will be organized annually, bringing youths to show different topics about Cambodia.
