SAKURA ENGLY: The Embassy of Japan, in collaboration with the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) and the Japan Foundation Asia Center, held the opening ceremony of the 7th Japan-Cambodia Kizuna Festival that was attended by H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, H.E. Ms. Eat Sophea, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and H.E. Mr. Hidehisa Horinouchi, Ambassador of Japan in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The theme of this year’s festival was “Beat of Japan” and spectacular music performances from both countries were presented in the ceremony.
From the Cambodian side, CJCC volunteers performed the “Blessing Dance” and Royal University of Phnom Penh students performed the “Robam Kuos Angrae”. Meas Soksophea, the last singer of the ceremony, elated the audience with her beautiful rendition of “Holiday”. From the Japanese side, JSR – a Zen Buddhist monk group – performed a chanting ritual and Gagaku, a traditional music form. BATI-HOLIC played rock music with Japanese traditional music instruments.
Photo by: Sakura Engly
Meas Soksophea, from Cambodia, at the opening of the Kizuna Festival 2018
Japanese and Cambodian performers on stage at the opening of the Kizuna Festival
Performing the Gagaku
H.E. Mr. Hidehisa Horinouchi, Ambassador of Japan in the Kingdom of Cambodia and H.E. Ms. Eat Sophea, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
