A FESTIVAL celebrating Cambodian youth and their talents opens this weekend at New Art Gallery, where buyers will be able to find handicrafts, books and pictures alongside performances of dance and martial arts.

Three different groups have collaborated to mount the exhibition, which features work by high school pupils and university students. Khmer Youth for Development, Our Home Organisation and Cambodia Youth for Social Humanity from Pour Un Sourire D’Enfant are behind the organisation of the fair.

Several young people make handicrafts to help support their families, said Mok Seyha, a coordinator with Our Home Organisation.

“We cooperate with youths and children from different groups to help find new ideas in handicraft products such as woven towels, bags, postcards and other designs using simple and cheap raw or recycled materials.

“We’ve been finding partners and technicians to run training sessions. And if we have lots of different products, we may find it easier to crack the international market, because we have a partnership with a French organisation which is interested in working with youth and children,” said Mok Seyha.

Sales expectations are modest, said Phou Chakriya, director of Khmer Youth for Development, which was founded last year.

“This is the first time our three groups have joined together to stage an exhibition, so we’re not sure of the reaction we’ll get.

“We also have an exhibition of pictures and short-story books which were drawn and written by Khmer youths,” said the director.

The exhibition runs on Friday and Saturday, January 28-29 from 3pm to 8pm at New Art Gallery, #20 Street 9, near Phsar Kab Kou. HR