Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights re Courage Curriculum in Cambodia

October 17, 2011 Speak Truth To Power in Cambodia Dear Friends, Speak Truth To Power (STTP), Cambodia would like to share two terrific videos of a STTP curriculum training, held in a pagoda in Kampong Chhang province. In one video you can see and hear Cambodian monks, who participated in the Speak Truth To Power curriculum training workshop, chanting at Wat Aranh. CIVICUS Cambodia's Kampong Chhnang Training Workshop Wat Aranh Monks Chanting at Kampong Chhnang Training Workshop Thanks to the tireless efforts of  RFK Center’s Speak Truth To Power partner in Cambodia, CIVICUS, STTP continues to flourish since the February launch in the capital city of Phnom Penh. In September, the STTP photo exhibit, featuring the Eddie Adams photographs, opened at the Meta house in downtown Phnom Penh. Also in September, the Phnom Penh Players, a wonderful amateur theater group formed by Cambodia’s international diplomatic corps, staged the play three consecutive evenings to standing-room only audiences! And now, Theary Seng, CIVICUS’s president, is working with the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association to train hundreds of teachers, from more than 20 Cambodian provinces, to use the Speak Truth To Power Education curriculum. Read a short note from Theary about the first of these training sessions, the strong interest the teachers have shown in the curriculum, and some of the difficulties that these educators face in learning how to teach human rights. Best, John Heffernan Director, RFK Speak Truth To Power A Short Note By Theary Seng Dear STTP friends, The training went really well, despite a bit of hiccups here/there.  We told our facilitators (one teacher, one head monk) that we wanted 80-100 teachers and 20 monks.  We got 120 teachers, 20 students training to be teachers, and 70 monks!  The teachers and students had to traverse very, very difficult flooding conditions to make the long trip to the pagoda that was our venue. As you may know, 200 reported deaths in Cambodia due to flooding since August. We are uploading photos on the www.civicus-cam.org webpage; one video of monks chanting is already up, which gives an overview of the venue and participants. We have two more trainings coming up in the southern provinces.  We are using all the Sundays as Sunday is the only day where the teachers are free in their schedule. Shalom, Theary Speak Truth To Power, a project of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, is a multi-faceted global initiative that uses the experiences of courageous defenders from around the world to educate students and others about human rights, and urge them to take action. Issues range from slavery and environmental activism to religious self-determination and political participation. Follow us on: Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 1367 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20036

Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
1367 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036