Drug Prevention

Angkor Youth Camp 2000

This first youth camp of KYA was an important historic event for youths of this generation. It was a bridge between national and international young people and an inspiration to actively participate in the development of our society. The focus was on youth potential, human rights, peace and volunteering. The camp took place in Siem Reap. We chose it because it's home to Angkor Wat. This is the symbol of real spirituality and potential of youth unity in the Angkor era from the 9th to the 12th century. With the cooperative effort and honesty of our elders, the high towers were built up.
120 participants from Cambodia, South Korea, Australia, Canada and Taiwan participated in the First Angkor Youth Camp.

For example youth and volunteering

Due to youth misunderstandings and the carelessness of the Royal Government of Cambodia in terms of youth volunteering, there is a very low percentage of volunteers in our society and this problem has caused the majority of youths to have a lack of experience. Most of the youths, after they graduate from university or a faculty, are eager to find work according to their majors because they have only obtained their knowledge at school but they are missing any work experiences and skills. At the same time, our older and experienced people haven't given them a chance or trained them. Instead they are blaming the youth and believe that they cannot do anything well and that they are not qualified. Young people who are volunteers for NGOs, institutes or other work places have more work experiences than other youths. In order to have youths with experiences and skills, the Royal Government of Cambodia should give chances for young students to volunteer at ministries, institutes, state cabinets, factories, companies and enterprises during school vacations. The participants of the First Angkor Youth Camp have strongly requested the Royal Government of Cambodia to negotiate with private and state workplaces to receive young people to be volunteers. At the time of the camp, only NGOs were working with volunteers.

Resolution of the Participants

The remarkable results that were achieved during the First Angkor Youth Camp have been put together into a 13 point resolution which was handed out to the Cambodian National Assembly, the Senate, the Royal Government, local and international NGOs, relevant ministries, institutes, foreign embassies and the international community. It drew a great attention to the media as well. Below you can find the resolution.

1. increase the national budget for education as the first priority
2. reform the curriculum at all levels of education to conform to international standards and provide more scholarships for students to study at postgraduate levels
3. equip educational institutions with materials for universities and schools
4. strengthen the professionalism and ethics of the teachers and increase their salary and funding while abolishing problems in the education system
5. the state should not take tuition from students at the college/university level
6. increase the number of colleges in order to respond to the needs of society, for example by creating a College of Political Science
7. establish dormitories for poor students from the provinces, particularly for women
8. schools should strengthen the relationship between parents and communities by providing information about the students' education to parents
9. increase and deepen education concerning civil society and culture
10. increase broadcasting of educational programs through all media, such as that relating to social issues affecting youth, values, etc.
11. government should broaden facilitation for youth activites relevant to human rights, democracy and social values
12. we demand that the government should achieve a responsible and acceptable resolution of border issues and that the history of border issues will be included in curriculums
13. the National Assembly shoud call on the concerned institutions which sold fixed and non-fixed wealth to disclose their activites and their expenditures in front of the National Assembly