Khmer Literature Festival; coming soon to Siem Reap

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Khmer Literature Festival; coming soon to Siem Reap

Post by Anchor Moy »

Go books and bookworms! Great to see Cambodians trying to stir up some interest in reading and writing Khmer fiction. More Cambodians reading books can only be a good thing - I was really aghast when I realised that reading for pleasure was almost unknown here.
But of course, then you need to have some decent books in Khmer to get people interested in reading. Good luck to them and their new festival.
Phina So is on a mission to give Khmer literature a boost and is starting with what she hopes will be the first of many festivals celebrating local authors: a three-day event next month in Siem Reap. It is the first festival of its kind, and will be held in Siem Reap starting October 20.

She is one of five organisers who dreamt up the Khmer Literature Festival, three days of panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions for Khmer writers.

The organisers’ efforts are among many attempts through the years to encourage writing in Cambodia. Since 1995, the Khmer Writers’ Association has been giving out writing awards to Khmer authors – the Awarding Ceremony of the Preah Sihanouk Reach Award and the 7 January Award locally, and the Mekong River Literature Award, an international prize.

There is also the Kampot Writers and Readers Festival, held annually in November, while the recently created Saraswati Publishing has been organising writing competitions for local writers, among other activities. Both of those endeavours, however, are led by expatriates.

“The special thing about [the] Khmer Literature Festival is [that] its initiator is Khmer,” says Kim Dyna, a screenwriter and festival organiser. “The audience and speakers are mostly Cambodian.”
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weeke ... -siem-reap
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Re: Khmer Literature Festival; coming soon to Siem Reap

Post by John Bingham »

I've always found it very strange how disinterested most people here are in reading. It definitely needs to be encouraged.
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Re: Khmer Literature Festival; coming soon to Siem Reap

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Khmer literature festival draws bookworms
31 October 2017
Held at Wat Damnak and Wat Bo in Siem Reap province, the Khmer Literature Festival was a success, drawing about 500 people. The three-day event included many panels involving young writers, aspiring writers, and bookworms.

So Phina, director of the festival, said the event was an opportunity for participants to think about the value and meaning of Khmer literature. It encouraged reading and motivated people to write and read more.

Sovann Luch, 15, a student from Liger Learning Centre, said that in the past he had attended events focusing on literature in English, but he jumped at the opportunity to attend the Khmer Literature Festival. He said he registered to join because he wants to promote and preserve Khmer literature.

“It is very constructive; I can meet young writers and learn how to write novels and poetry from them. I know that some Cambodian students don’t speak and know their native language well, yet I encourage all writers to write more because students will understand it one day,” said Mr Luch.

Mr Luch suggested students read more books rather than spending their time using electronic gadgets and visiting platforms such as Facebook or playing games. He said he wants to see more such events, preferably held annually, in order to promote awareness among students regarding Khmer literature...
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5088513/khm ... bookworms/
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Re: Khmer Literature Festival: (Updated) Pursat 2022

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UPDATE: The Khmer Literature Festival is alive and kicking!
October 24, 2022
Literature festival in Pursat a success
Some 3,000 people attended the 5th edition of the Khmer Literature Festival held in Pursat province which ended yesterday.

The three-day event with five veteran authors displaying nearly 30 book titles for high school students also featured numerous Khmer traditional art shows.

Themed “Living Legacy of Literature” the event was to commemorate and reflect the values of writers who survived the Pol Pot regime.

Festival director Khut Sokhoeun said yesterday that veteran writers “contributed tremendously to creating awareness to the people, especially, the younger generation to love Khmer literature”.

“After the Khmer Rouge regime, these veteran writers worked hard to share their knowledge with society.

“This festival is a good platform to connect the older and newer generation of literature authors to learn and share experiences,” he said.

“Their motivation and values to perpetuate and develop Khmer literature should be upheld, respected and remembered by citizens, readers and relevant institutions,” he added.

Sokhoeun said the last four literary festivals that saw 100 authors and publishers participating, over 10 performances and six exhibitions, were also well received.

The festival was first staged in 2017 to foster a love of Khmer literature by giving young Cambodians a chance to engage in festival programmes that exemplify the principles of local literature.

Another festival aim is to allow for interaction between authors, readers, and publishers – domestic and international – and broaden the market for writers.

Sokhoeun said the festival would be held in different provinces yearly to get the people closer to Khmer literature.

He urged students and youths to foster a love for Khmer literature and attend the festival when it is held near them.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501173336/ ... a-success/
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Re: Khmer Literature Festival; coming soon to Siem Reap

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

Literature Award Ceremony of the 5th Khmer Literature Festival on November 20, 2022
The literary competition is to encourage young people to express their work.
November 21, 2022
Image
Mr. Khuth Sokhoeun, Managing Director of the Khmer Literature Festival, said that the competition for the Literary Award is an opportunity to encourage all poets, especially young people, to participate in expressing their ideas and works through writing.
Mr. Khuth Sokhoeun said this at the Literature Award Ceremony of the 5th Khmer Literature Festival that was held on November 20, 2022.
According to Khuth Sokhoeun, the literary competition is one of the main events of the Khmer Literature Festival, and in 2022, the Literary Awards competition is exclusively sponsored by the Rosewood Hotel Phnom Penh.

The literary works were evaluated by three judges in a first selection, and then judged to select the best works of each category. In almost three months, the festival team received nearly 200 entries, and 133 entries were submitted to the selection committee (54 short stories and 79 poems). Ten winners and runners up were named: five in the short story selection, and five for works of poetry.
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