The Richmond Cultural Centre was the location for an ambitious, dynamic event — on Saturday, July 5 — that celebrated the resilience of Cambodian (Khmer) culture.
The event was organized by the recently created Cambodian Cultural Centre and it sold out two weeks in advance.
The founders and driving force behind the Cambodian initiative are Peter Heang and his sister Sophie Heang.
The stated goal of the Heangs is to preserve and promote Cambodian (Khmer) heritage and culture.
The Heangs are the children of Cambodian refugees who, along with thousands of others, fled the terror of the Cambodian genocide that was organized by the Khmer Rouge dictator Pol Pot.
2025 is the 50th anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge.
That madness lasted from 1975 to 1979 and killed an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people. In 1979, the overthrow of Pol Pot and a regime change ended the terror. (This is an extremely short summary of a very complex series of political events.)
Now, 50 years later, this well-organized event — Roots of Compassion — featured a range of artistic and cultural activities, including Cambodian Classical and Folk Dance Northwest (CC Folk Dance NW), a digital photography exhibit by photojournalist Roland Neveu and other photographers, a digital painting exhibit by Chau Sambo Meas, readings from poets who celebrate Cambodian achievements as well as light refreshments and traditional Cambodian food.
The event opened with a beautiful blessing dance from CC Folk Dance NW.
According to the organizers, education, awareness and community connection are what they hope to encourage as a result of this community interaction.
For more information, check out the Cambodian Cultural Centre's website.
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