(1) The success of a unit/organization is its ability to continue operating and growing

Yesterday, I went to Svay Rieng and requested that people not call me ‘Grandfather’ (Ta) […] My hair is a bit gray, but it is not that bad yet. In two years, I will have reached half a century. I met her (Mrs. Marie-France des Pallières) last year, if I recall correctly, at CCF. Thank you, please convey my greetings to her and wish her good health. Coming in just a moment ago, I saw a banner outlining a brief history, along with some commentary. I noticed a phrase that caught my attention, which was a remark made by Mr. Christian (des Pallières) before he passed away. He said that even though he was leaving, he felt at peace and comforted knowing that the organization would continue to function. This is a special success for the founder of any endeavor. When I was building the Counter-Terrorism Unit, a journalist asked me, ‘What is the success of this unit? Please define and describe this success.’ I said,‘The success in building this unit is that when I leave, this unit continues to operate and continues to grow.’Two weeks ago, I went to conduct a surprise check on the unit commander; he reported the progress to me. I told him, “This is what I want. Do not let it be that I only built it this far, only for it to end, collapse, or stop moving forward when I leave”.

(2) PSE’s success isowing to its vision of “serving the common good.”

The same applies to PSE. In theory, what they wanted to build is not the exclusively for PSE, Mr. Christian, or Mrs. Marie; it is the property of everyone at PSE — the staff, the children who have benefited, the families, and the Cambodian nation. They were the founders, but the people who must maintain it are those currently at PSE. Even though he (Mr. Christian) passed away ten years ago in 2016, PSE continues to operate. This means that what he built has a solid foundation.Firstly, it is the vision that it is being done for the common good.If he had done this only for his own benefit, once he stopped, there would be no one left to push it forward. But this was for the common good of the citizens, especially for the children of those who are poor and living in impoverished communities. Back in 1995, when he arrived and then established it in 1996, we saw that the situation was different from today. At that time, we had just ended the war — though it had not yet ended completely across the country — and we had only just held our first election in 1993. There were many people reintegrating and returning from the border. The difficulties back then were different from those of today.

(3) PSE’s success is owing to strong foundation and human resources that share the same vision

Although the living conditions of the people, and our nation’s economy as the whole, had just emerged from war and fighting, and social stability had not yet been fully established, he (Mr. Christian) dared to sacrifice his life. After retiring in France, where he could have lived a comfortable, simple life with his pension, traveling the world, he chose to come here — a difficult path — dedicating his full time, financial resources, and gathering morale to help. This is a true vision.Secondly, he built a solid foundation.Building a foundation does not mean just physical infrastructure, equipment, or many classrooms, but rather thefoundation of a work system that provides care and gives opportunities to those in the countryand others, without keeping everything to himself.Thirdly, the building of human resources who recognize his vision and love what he does, such as our younger sister, Lakhina, who overcame a difficult background.

(4) 15,000 have received and are currently receiving training, and each one represents a life that has been transformed

We continue to lead according to the vision he set; this is what defines success. It means that he departed, leaving behind a foundation for growth, supported by the recognition and participation of many partners, donors both domestically and internationally, and collaboration with state institutions. This is a solid foundation that will continue to serve the interests of tens of thousands of students.Currently, we have 15,000 individuals who have received or are currently receiving training, with over 8,000 having graduated and over 90 percent of them securing employment. We may see it just as a figure of 8,000 people, butlet us not forget that every single number represents a human being — a life that has been transformed, even if it were only for someone like [our younger sister] Lakhina, who took on this work. A moment ago, I met with people who have all completed their training, have jobs, and are leading different lives. Not everyone can become the head of PSE, but every individual is now able to take charge of themselves, secure their own livelihood and capabilities, and determine their own destiny —most importantly, they have transformed from having no opportunities into seizing them.

(5) 8,000 graduates, with over 90% employment, will become parents who help their families gain opportunities

Furthermore, please consider that 8,000 individuals represent 8,000 lives.In the future, these 8,000 people will become parents who raise hundreds of thousands of children and descendants, starting from today — from the first generation that has had an opportunity. These 8,000 people are also members of families. Within those 8,000, or thousands of families, perhaps some have two or three children studying here.This does not only help the nephews, nieces, and younger siblings who have graduated from this place, but it also helps our families gain opportunities. There is no parent who does not want their child to have the opportunity and ability to pursue high-level education. Sometimes, due to economic hardship, they are forced to need their children’s help. Just a moment ago, Lakhina said, “If I were to go to school, there had to be something to help my parents, because we were helping them every day.” In Steung Meanchey, scavenging for trash was also a part of that help, because back in 1995-1996, the living conditions of some citizens were difficult and unstable. Therefore, this assistance helps families and helps the nation. Most importantly, it helps the nation.

(6) The Royal Government continues to support the vision of the two individuals from 30 years ago to assist the nation

When our people have capabilities and opportunities, they cease to be a burden and instead become an asset to the nation. While the state provides significant assistance to citizens who are not in good health or who struggle to make a living and cannot support themselves, citizens who are capable and healthy become a resource that helps the state. The state, in turn, provides opportunities to others who lack them. It is about helping one another to help the nation. The two individuals, Mr. Christian des Pallières and Mrs. Marie-France des Pallières, had the vision, heart, and high level of determination 30 years ago, which has brought great benefits to the nation and to every individual person. This is a source of great joy, andthe Royal Government will continue to support the PSE organization so that it can continue to assist the children of citizens who lack means and contribute to the nation as much as possible.

(7) “Giving a fishing rod” creates the opportunity for self-reliance and fosters a mindset of ownership

Another saying is, “instead of giving a fish, we give a fishing rod” (for people) to learn how to catch fish for oneself. This saying is important. It starts with giving a fish — that is, helping during times of immediate difficulty and solving the initial phase by providing food to eat. The younger sister (Lakhina), who gave the presentation earlier, mentioned that the two of individuals asked a group of children at the Steung Meanchey garbage dump what they wanted. The children said they wanted a full meal. So, they addressed the need for a full meal […] after they were full, they asked what else they wanted. They said they wanted the opportunity to learn in order to have the capability to support themselves. This is a correct vision. This is what the organization has implemented for sustainability and longevity. We cannot continue to provide only food. Building human resources with capability and self-reliance is what “giving a fishing rod” means, and it goes beyond just making it possible to live independently. What is important is that it creates a mindset. If you only give fish, it encourages laziness, with people just waiting for someone to bring them food, not knowing what else to do.However, if you give a fishing rod, it cultivates a mindset of self-ownership and teaches people how to be creative themselves.

(8) When people know how to take charge, struggle, and innovate, they begin to create new value for society

A moment ago, I asked a young person who learned video editing, and another who does the filming. Now, they have the skills to film, but instead of just filming for a production company, they have come together to start their own video production group. This is the capability and the mindset of self-ownership — not waiting to be provided for, not waiting to be told what to do. We have the foundational work and the ability, and we transform it. In the history of human society, why do we have smartphones? It is because humans know how to innovate. If humans were not creative in finding new things and creating something new, we would still be using “Nokia” phones, or perhaps not even those. It means doing the same things over and over without creating new ideas. Therefore, providing the foundation of learning to do things for oneself and cultivating a mindset of self-ownership — I believethe theory of “giving a fishing rod” is not just about knowing how to provide for oneself; the most important aspect it cultivates is learning to live for oneself, being self-reliant, and not depending on handouts. When people begin to take charge, innovate, and struggle, that is where evolution happens, because people begin to be creative and create new value within society.

(9) Schools provide education and vocational training, but to be successful, one must strive on their own

In a developing society, Cambodian citizens absolutely cannot live with a mindset of waiting for someone to provide for them. It is not a matter of “I have studied, now you find me a job; if I cannot do it, I will stay put” without creating anything new […] Just a moment ago, our younger sister (Lakhina) mentioned that among the 8,000 students who graduated, about 90 percent have found employment, while a small percentage have not yet secured work. She follows up with them. This is a form of responsibility. I would like to express my gratitude for that. It does not mean that once you graduate, you are sent off without any follow-up. She checks on them. “Why haven’t you found a job yet?” If it has been more than three months, they provide additional training.They do not go out and find the job for them. The student must find the job themselves. The school provides skills, education, and a part of the capability, but after this, for you to be successful, you must strive on your own. This is how life truly works. If you cannot find a job, you return, and they help you (with further training) […] I support that theory.

(10) After graduation and starting work, you must keep learning

We can only provide support; we cannot do the work for you. You must learn on your own to seize knowledge. Having come to study here, you must strive to grasp the knowledge needed to transform your life. Do not come here just because the organization or your parents told you to, or just to pass the time. Do not do that. Take this opportunity and work hard.Do not set your goals only on “getting an entry-level job.” In the future, you need to continue to evolve. When you go out to work, you must continue to learn. The opportunity is there, but you cannot succeed if you do not strive on your own.It is the same for a country. We emerged from war, we have developed to this point, and we are moving forward — we cannot rely on aid forever.

If we do not push ourselves, if we do not strive to build human resources, we would not have officials in ministries and institutions who are capable of handling various tasks. Some people say that officials in ministries and institutions are all children of the elite, but that is not the case. Go and see for yourself. Ministers, Secretaries of State, Undersecretaries of State, and department heads — very few emerged from 1979 [with existing positions]. Even for the children of some well-off or influential people, their parents also emerged from the Pol Pot regime; we were all in the same boat. In short, no one came from the Pol Pot regime to serve as a minister during the People’s Republic of Kampuchea era. Everything was new.

(11) “If you do not strive, you will not succeed. If you do strive, the probability of success is not zero…”

This means that even if someone was a prominent business person during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era, by the time of the Pol Pot regime, everything was destroyed. Therefore, we all came out with empty hands. This demonstrates the capacity to strive and work hard to ensure Cambodia’s progress. It is the same for you, and the same for every family: strive to build your capabilities. “Do not be discouraged by fate, do not complain about destiny” — that is a phrase often heard. If we are born into a poor family and are busy just feeling sorry for our fate, and we do not struggle, there will never be a time when we can change that fate. You can complain about destiny all you want, but no one knows what fate has inscribed. Even fortune tellers do not know. No one knows what the future holds. However,what can be predicted is this: “If we do not strive, we will not succeed. But if we do strive, the probability of success is not zero; it is quite high.”Transform your own future.Look at the hardships of our parents’ generation, who emerged from the war in 1995 and 1996, returning from camps or other places, shattered by war, yet they now have the ability and the opportunity to be sitting here today.

(12) Having a dream is setting a direction, while having hope is the motivation to achieve that dream

What I would like to offer as advice, as well as share in congratulating the students […] let’s call them “nephews and nieces,” since they are probably around 18-19 years old. If I called them “younger siblings,” they would have to be in their 30s. Being here, having seized the opportunity to study, and wearing these uniforms — whether for an associate or bachelor’s degree — shows that you have chosen the right path.PSE is a partner that provides the means, and the Royal Government collaborates with PSE to provide you with these opportunities. If you had not worked hard from the beginning until graduation, you would not be sitting here today. No one is without problems. Regardless of one’s role, status, profession, orwhether one comes from a poor, middle-class, or wealthy family, everyone has their own struggles. But the important thing is not to give up on your vision. They say you must have dreams and hope. A dream is setting the direction where we want to go. Hope is what motivates the spirit to achieve that dream. If you have no hope, it means you are discouraged by your fate, and you have closed off that hope. You have exhausted your (drive to) work hard. No one can shut down your hope or stop you from pursuing your dreams, except for yourself.

(13) Strive to seize opportunities to ensure development and become a resource for the nation

I acknowledge that there is pressure from the social environment. During the Pol Pot era, rights and freedoms were suppressed; even if you wanted to study to become an engineer, you could not. But today, we have the right and freedom to pursue any profession, as long it is not illegal. Whether it is filmmaking, management, or anything else — you can do it.Therefore, grasp and strive to seize these opportunities to ensure your own development so that you can become a resource for the nation. To all of you who decided to struggle for two, three, or four years and have now graduated — I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and commend you for your decision and your hard work. You had a choice; no one held a gun to your head or forced you to stay. PSE does not require a contract that would allow them to hunt you down if you studied for only one year and then dropped out. It is a matter of your own right to choose. Therefore, please do not decide to give up.

(14) “The more you study, the more you realize how much you don’t know …”

There are many stages in life. Now you have a degree. Next, you must seek “the signs (or a degree) of experience”. The degree provides 50%, while the experience provides the other 50%. The degree gives us the foundation to go out and work so that we can continue to learn more.No one learns everything from school. In society […] the more you study, the more you feel that you don’t know, because every field of expertise is vast. For example, when I first started studying economics, I thought I knew everything. I could explain everything — demand, supply — I could explain it all. But when I began my doctoral studies, I realized that wasn’t the case. Economics is vast. I had only studied one small corner of it. Economic development is just one small part, yet it took me 4–5 years to study. There is commercial economics, among many other things. So, it means you don’t need to grasp everything; just grasp one corner clearly and focus on it until you are certain. Do not study without gaining true clarity.

(15) Set goals to become a resource with greater capability and ability to help your family and society

So, if you choose filmmaking, study it clearly — both shooting and editing. Once you are hired, you show your work, and you will gain further opportunities. If you are competent, you will eventually have the foundation to manage others, teach them, or start your own business. It all depends on our quality, dedication, and capability. Therefore, please continue to focus and take charge of yourself. You have been given fish, and you have been given a fishing rod; do not just settle for that little bit of fish. In the future, you must dare to expand your thinking. If you only caught enough fish today to feed yourself — whereas before you didn’t know how, and now you have been taught to fish in a pond — eventually, you must learn to fish in the river.

You must dare to row a boat to the middle of the river, to the places where there are more fish, and cast a net to catch more […] What does this mean? It means learning to set goals to expand yourself so that, in the future, you will be a resource with ever-increasing capability and the means to help others. Right now, it is just you. In the future, you will have a family; you will have to support a spouse and children.Both husband and wife will work together to raise a family and raise children. Therefore, you must expand your capability with integrity, using the foundation you received here, and then go out and grab more experience in real society. That is what “finding the signs of experience” (degree of what can be seen) means for all of you who have received your diplomas here today.

(16) The municipal administration and local authorities must pay attention to the safety of PSE

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to state institutions, including the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Education, and other relevant ministries — such as the Ministry of Environment and others —that have cooperated with and supported PSE. The local authorities and the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration have been helpful, especially the district and commune authorities here. I ask that you pay special attention to the safety of the students who are here. If there are any issues, please look after them with great care[…] There are many people here, about 500 or 600, some of whom have come from the provinces.Please help look after their safety. Do not let drugs enter this place, and do not let them bother this facility. Do not let issues of insecurity affect the safety of the students residing here. In case of any incidents, I ask the local authorities to take measures to provide timely protection.Please pay attention to safety […] Regardless of which community it is, it is the duty of the local authorities — whether it is within a center or in other communities — that is our responsibility […] I ask all relevant ministries to continue to assist in this task.

(17) Whether in affluent, middle-class, or poor communities, the family plays an important role

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all partner organizations and national and international philanthropists, especially the partners who have helped PSE and the international and local donors who have provided budgetary support for decades. I ask that you continue to provide assistances, support, and cooperation to PSE in order to benefit our younger generation and our citizens, especially those who lack the means. This is what I would like to request further. Please pay attention to this work. I would also like to thank the families. Families are important. If there is no opportunity provided by parents for their children to study, it is very difficult. Parents face challenging living conditions, so they need to make sacrifices to provide opportunities for their children, encourage them to study, and help them focus on their education. This work cannot be done in isolation from parents or guardians.Whether in communities that are affluent, middle-class, or poor, the family plays a crucial role. This is something that you, the students here — especially those in the communities I have met here and at CCF — must recognize: the family is the one that facilitates and encourages you.

(18) Education takes place in school, at home, and in the community

I ask all uncles, aunts, siblings, parents, and guardians to continue providing opportunities and support to the children, younger siblings, and grandchildren who come to study here, and to continue educating them further at home.Education cannot be achieved only in school; it must be cultivated in school, at home, and within the community. However, the home and the school are the most important factors. If they come to study at school but, upon returning home, their parents do not encourage them or do not value their education, then it becomes difficult for them …] they might even drop out because after studying, they feel anxious, if, upon arriving home, their parents do not want them to come to school or do not facilitate their attendance […] so, please continue (your support).Finishing school is crucial. You should understand that this is an investment. We are willing to endure a little hardship so that our children can attend school, as if we are investing to build resources within the family. This means that when one child comes to study and builds the capability to have stability in their life, they can support themselves, and in the future, the parents will no longer have to struggle. They can then further support the family. This is an important factor that the family plays a role in.

(19) “Even if small and low-ranked,” one must strive to reach higher to compete

I would like to express my gratitude once again for the achievements that have changed the futures of the students here. This is a great model for our youth, for the children of our citizens who come from difficult family backgrounds. If Lakhina could do it, you can do it too. If you can do it, your neighbors who did not get to attend school can do it too. Do not let them be buried by the slogan “Do not be discouraged by fate, do not complain about destiny” and then do nothing. Instead,turn your lack of resources and possessions into a source of motivation to work even harder. Even if we are small and low-ranked, we must strive higher than everyone else so that we can eventually reach a point where we can competeafter 12, 13, or 14 years of training, or upon graduating with bachelor’s or associate degrees. Sometimes we cannot contest the economic gap — because if we are born into a low-income family, we cannot bridge the gap with high or middle-income families overnight. However, your hard work will make a difference in 20 years’ time.

(20) With same opportunities, it is not certain that a wealthy child in the city is smarter than a child from a poor family in the province

It is about the human brain gap —should there be same opportunity, it would not be guaranteed that a wealthy child born in Phnom Penh would study better than a child from a struggling family in Preah Sihanouk or Ratanakiri provinces. We look at the A-grade exam results; there are those from the provinces who outperform those from Phnom Penh. If you look at the capabilities and job opportunities in ministries, state institutions, the private sector, and NGOs, the people who hold important positions today did not necessarily start out “above” those who are currently below them. It is about effort. Some of our ministers were orphans. Many of our Secretaries of State came from impoverished backgrounds. Some people in the private sector who are now tycoons came out of 1979 selling shoes or collecting scrap metal, just the same. But they strove, innovated, struggled to have their children educated, and now they have reached great heights.

Therefore, while your starting point today may differ, the gap can be closed; it depends on you. Opportunity is not given to those who lack capability, no matter where you come from. There might be some familial understanding, but you cannot let family status rule everything. For example, a company might give a child the opportunity to be a manager, but if that child lacks capability, is irresponsible, drives the business to ruin, and spends all day just partying with staff, they will certainly be asked to step down. The company will find a manager — regardless of who it is or which employee — as long they are honest, persistent, smart, hardworking, and capable enough to lead and achieve success. This is what we must continue to struggle and strive for.

(21) PSE provides the umbrella, opportunities, resources, facilities, and the environment for teachers to meet with students

I would like to express my gratitude to the staff and teachers at the PSE organization who have shown love, care, and dedication in training the students’ capabilities. A key factor is the teacher. It starts with will and capability; if a teacher lacks sufficient capability or the will to teach, the students will not receive quality education. If students do not have quality, they will go out into the workforce with uncertainty and will not have the opportunity to develop themselves; even if they try to do something on their own, they will not be able to compete with others. The quality, care, and sacrifice of teachers are no different from the sacrifices of parents; we call them “first parents” and “second parents.” Teachers are in the profession of building human futures and transforming lives. No teacher wants to see their student fail. They only want to see their students succeed, so they can feel, “I, too, had a small part in helping to bring about this success.” The family and the teachers are the direct implementers and the key characters in directly supporting students.The PSE organization acts as the one providing the umbrella—providing opportunities, resources, facilities, and the means for teachers to meet with students to teach them, while families maintain some stability, and the state and partners act as those helping from the outside.

(22) The entire nation celebrates the graduates and more human resources

All of this is what we are celebrating today. We are not just celebrating the achievement of the students graduating, but the collective achievement that we have all worked toward together. In this effort, if any part were missing — especially the PSE organization as the founder and its leadership — it would be difficult for the organization to function or to continue training thousands of students.Without teachers, it would be difficult to provide education; without the support of parents, it would be difficult for students to sit and study here until graduation; and without the struggle and dedication of the students themselves, this graduation ceremony would not be possible, as you would not have completed your studies.The Royal Government and the entire nation also reap the benefits of this, because our nation and our future depend on you. Therefore, today we are not just celebrating those who receive their degrees; together we are celebrating everyone, the entire Khmer nation,which has now gained even more human resources.

(23) Find ways to complement between the 1.5 million scholarship program and the PSE’s human resource training

For those of you who have already started working and are benefiting from this (education), please continue to strive hard. At the same time, I would like to reiterate to the relevant ministries, institutions, and competent authorities — especially local authorities — to continue supporting the activities of our brothers and sisters, particularly the vocational training provided by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training wherever possible. We currently have five skill programs here. In the future, if changes are needed, please review them.We have the 1.5 million scholarship program, which provides vocational training to children from disadvantaged families and includes a stipend. Therefore, we should examine how these programs can complement each other, as both are dedicated to training human resources, and PSE is also training resources for our nation. The Royal Government desires (this support for human resource training) because the government cannot do it alone.

(24) PSE’s human resource training is a model of excellent cooperation between the Royal Government and non-governmental partner organizations

I would liketo cite this (human resource training by PSE) as a model of excellent cooperation between the Royal Government and non-governmental partner organizations. There is a misunderstanding, especially in certain media reports, alleging that the Royal Government does not encourage civil society organizations, that it suppresses freedom, or that it prevents them from working. That is not the case. The issues involving a small handful of organizations are one thing, and the issues of expressing opinions or acting within the law are another. However, we have 3,000 associations, 3,500 NGOs, and over 6,000 entities registered and working across the country. While some have closed,there are thousands of NGOs and civil society groups that are excellent partners to the government. The government does not restrict the rights of such partners; on the contrary, we want them to be even more active and help them grow even further because they are doing real, tangible work. Is the PSE organization, which provides such education and training, not of equal value to an organization that operates under the label of “civil society” or “NGO” just to go out and protest about this or that?

(25) Knowledge and skills help attain rights, freedoms, and ability to control own futures

What do we mean whenwe talk about rights and freedoms? It is not just the right to curse or to protest; the right to receive an education is a fundamental human right. The right to healthcare and the right to have one’s well-being cared for are also human rights. These are basic rights – the right to education and proper healthcare. Organizations that provide basic human rights are those that train people to have freedom and knowledge. If we do not have knowledge, we are forever dependent on others. If we are knowledgeable, we can take charge of our own futures and determine our own destinies. Some of you have gathered to create your own production. But without knowledge and capability, could you do that? We might just have the “dream,” but without the necessary skills, we would not be able to achieve it.It is this knowledge and these skills that truly help us attain our rights, freedoms, and the ability to control our own futures.

(26) Human rights – the right to live with dignity, to receive education, training, and healthcare

Organizations that provide this training are already granting (the people) rights and freedoms. This is what we call human rights — not just the right to go on Facebook or speak about various (political) issues. The most important rights are the right to live with dignity, to receive education, training, and proper healthcare. These are the basic rights of citizens that the government prioritizes. We welcome and support the thousands of civil society organization partners who work with us on these tasks, and we will continue to do so. I would like to express my gratitude once again and send my regards to Madame Marie-France des Pallières, and wish her good health. I hope that one day she will be able to fly here (to visit) again […]./.