Last Sunday, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia community celebrated its annual Khmer New Year to honor the upcoming Khmer New Year—the year of pig—at the PUC south campus. The program began in the morning with a Khmer cultural performance, a Buddhist session, the ceremony of erecting sandy mounts, watering the Lord Buddha Statue, and continued with Cambodian popular games and sports, entertainment and dance.

Professor Sombo Manara, Senior Vice President for culture and community relations, and traditional events, briefly told the history of celebrating Khmer New Year of replacing bad habits and reminded everyone to do good by respecting oneself, family, and people around; therefore, they can become good value citizen. “Being grateful toward your parents, the old, and others who offered you help will make you happier and enjoy a more beautiful life.”   

Roeurng Sreylin and Huy Lymeng are friends in different faculties and years of study, but they were at the university for the same purpose. Both of them were ready to offer foods, drinks, and some money to the monks. “The event I most wish to join in today is the Buddhist session because I can do good things through contributing some amount of money to the Buddhist monks whom many Buddhist followers believe that the monk will send good words to the Lord Buddha for their good activities,” said Sreylin.

It was Lymeng’s second time to attend the New Year celebration at PUC since he started his university life. “It was an exciting moment to begin the New Year,” said Lymeng. “I will continue doing it during the New Year’s Days (April 14-16).”

Students, teachers, staff, faculty members were joyful in the event. They played and danced the whole day. There were food and drinks available for sale, so they enjoyed eating and drinking after having a break.

Happy Khmer New Year 2019!