Culture & Initiative: Launching of « The Perfect Motion » guidebook to bring Cambodian ballet to youth

The launch of The Perfect Motion, an educational guidebook, alongside the completion of phase one of the Youth Empowerment Project, has the ambition to bring Cambodian ballet to youth.

The objective of the initiatives is to empower Cambodian youth through the provision of vocational training, cultural appreciation and civic engagement, with the intention of reaching students across numerous provinces.

The inaugural segment of the event was devoted to the unveiling of the Khmer-language adaptation of the guidebook that accompanies the documentary by French director Xavier de Lauzanne.

The guidebook, originally produced in French by the Lycée français René Descartes, was adapted by Sipar with the objective of supporting Cambodian schools in the teaching of students about the country's artistic heritage.

The Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Hang S.E. Chuon Naron, expressed gratitude to the filmmaker for creating the documentary, which serves to advance Cambodian cultural promotion and furnish resources for youth research and training, with a particular focus on the Royal Ballet.

The guidebook was developed to complement educational screenings of the film, as noted by an official from the French NGO Sipar, who also highlighted the role of the creation of the ballet Metamorphosis by Princess Norodom Lach Rachna in the narrative.

The seminar considered the achievements of the initial phase of the Youth Empowerment Project, which was co-funded by AFD and developed by Sipar in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

The three-year initiative, which commenced in October 2021 and will conclude in September 2024, has provided support to over 27,000 students across 16 secondary schools in 14 provinces.

The project provided modernised library services, reading resources, vocational training, digital skills programmes and opportunities for civic engagement.

Upon the conclusion of Phase One, Sipar celebrated the development of 11 book titles and four digital content types designed to enhance vocational skills and civic awareness.

The project's second phase, which will run from October 2024 to May 2027, will focus on expanding training, volunteerism and civic engagement. With a budget of over $980,000, of which AFD funds 80 per cent and Sipar 20 per cent, the initiative aligns with the country's national youth development policy.