As a historically significant year for female sporting success in Cambodia rolls over, headlined by Sorn Seavmey’s Incheon Asian Games taekwondo gold medal in October, the Kingdom begins the New Year with a bold initiative to give greater visibility to women and sport issues.

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, in conjunction with the country’s Women and Sports Commission, will be laying out the red carpet for delegates and field experts from the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia attending a four-day women and sport seminar for Asia at Siem Reap’s Sokhalay Angkor Resort and Spa from January 8 to 11.

The opening day’s plenary session offers presentations from Cambodia, Indonesia, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Pakistan on their national initiatives.

Over the next three days, discussions and training sessions will touch on wide-ranging issues including leadership qualities, communication and networking skills, coaching and mentoring and strategic proactive steps to ensure equitable representation of women in Southeast Asia.

On the sidelines of the seminar, the participants will be entertained by a welcome dinner hosted by NOCC president and Tourism Minister Thong Khon on January 8 as well as a tour of the Angkor temple complex.

“The four-day seminar is a great step forward for Cambodia as we strive ever harder to support the government’s firm policy of gender equality. An overwhelming consensus has now emerged that we need to create more opportunities for women,” NOCC secretary general Vath Chamroeun told the Post yesterday.

“Interaction with various regional NOCs and representatives and experts from both the IOC and OCA will be highly beneficial for our formulation of sound strategic initiatives in empowering women, both in the administrative and competitive wings of sports.

“Women have [recently] won more medals than men in regional and international events for Cambodia. Traditionally and culturally in countries like Cambodia, the participation of women in sport is far less in relation to the demographics But that scenario happily is changing fast.

“Sorn Seavmey’s spectacular success in bringing home our first gold medal from the Asian Games is certainly a huge inspiration for prospective sportswomen in every discipline. We are committed to implement all the specific initiatives stemming from this seminar,” added the secretary.