East Meets West
This past week, Ysa Osman completed his two week leadership program in Seattle in the SALI Program. Dick Geist, our Board Chairman, flew to Seattle to meet with Osman and to discuss multiple facets of the program.
There were wonderful gifts from Cambodia, a plaque, a beautiful embroidered table runner, letters from each of the university students, and video recordings of two Cham ceremonies that were made my Piseth, one of our university students. (See footage of Malot ceremony and festival which celebrates the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday and on which children receive their first haircut.)
Amongst the letters were several suggestions for possible changes and additions that might be made to improve the overall program. Mr. Ysa and I also discussed a plan for developing additional leadership within the group. Finances and their consequences were gone over.
It was agreed that unless funding rapidly reached a more stable footing, that we would most likely skip adding additional university students this coming Fall, conserving resources for the people to whom we have made promises.
Dick also interviewed Osman for over an hour on current and historic topics relating to Cambodia and the Cham and these will soon be on the website.
