The SkyFest 2023 event, held on May 6th-7th at the Bay of Lights in Sihanoukville (SHV), was an international kite flying festival that brought together enthusiasts from nine different countries, including Cambodia, China, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The event’s theme, “Khmer Can Fly,” aimed to represent the aspirations of Cambodian people to move towards a brighter future and to lead the next generation in understanding and appreciating the importance of preserving the cultural heritage surrounding the Khmer people’s kite craftsmanship.
Prince Foundation provided students with round-trip transportation, tickets and meals to participate in this joyful event. The participating students had the chance to experience the festival first-hand and learn about Khmer kite tradition from professional kiters, including Mrs. Cheang Yarin, a legendary local kiter. Additionally, the students were exposed to kites from other countries, which helped broaden their cultural horizons. Prince Foundation also provided students with the opportunity to experience team building and inter-school relationships through designing kites together in groups while having fun. These are lasting experiences that students can take home after joining this event.
Mr. Gabriel Tan, the head of Prince Foundation, said, “We are thrilled and humbled to have been a part of SkyFest 2023 and to provide this unique opportunity for Cambodian youths. Our goal is to empower young people and help preserve Khmer cultural heritage. We hope our CSR initiatives will inspire these students to continue to learn and grow, both personally and academically.”
Education and youth empowerment have been a key focus for Prince Foundation. One of the flagship projects of Prince Foundation is Chen Zhi Scholarship. The scholarship provides full tuition fees and stipends for 400 selected students to pursue tertiary education at three top Cambodian universities across seven years.
Under the leadership and philanthropy of Neak Oknha Chen Zhi, Chairman of Prince Holding Group, Prince Foundation will continue to work towards strengthening human capital upskilling efforts in Cambodia.
