After a two-year Covid-19 hiatus, the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) resumed its annual Charity Days event on January 13 as it celebrated the 63rd anniversary of its founding.

The opening ceremony of the January 13-15 event was presided over by Hun Many, chairman of the National Assembly’s 7th commission and president of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC).

Hoeun Srey Thy, a student who runs a beverage booth for the Department of Tourism, said she and other friends worked hard to sell drinks hoping to raise more money for worthy causes.

“We plan to donate all of our profits to the university,” she said.

The fourth-year student said that she sold a lot at her booth.

Next to the pond, a group of media and communication students were busy frying corn, with buyers waiting. Chet Sreyya, a second-year student at the Department of Media and Communication, said that her team had been preparing for the event for the past week, and had already had a lot of sales on the first day.

“The cost of our purchase is about 400,000 riel, and we expect to be able to double that in profit, so after we deduct the cost, we will donate all of it to schools,” Sreyya said.

She said that she did not expect a lot of people as this was only the first day, but in fact many students visited their booth located on the campus of RUPP.

On the opening day, UYFC president Many mentioned the quality and abilities of the student body and their optimism and confidence in the future of Cambodia.

“Have self-discipline and learn to understand yourself and correct mistakes so we can make the natuion as great as it can be,” he said.

Many also thanked all the students for their volunteer spirit and philanthropy. He said they all are pursuing different careers according to their academic interests but everyone has the same goal of contributing positively to Cambodia.

“For me, I am very optimistic about the future of Cambodia when I see the volunteer activities done in the spirit of charity for society by all of these young people. Please join us in celebrating the 12th Charity Days event and the 63rd anniversary of the birth of the Royal University of Phnom Penh,” he said.