By Edmund Zoo
Justice Contributing Writer

After three days of coordinated efforts to remember the tragic death of thousands of innocent men and women in South East Asia, the closing ceremony of this year's Cambodian Holocaust Remembrance Week took place on Thursday in Sherman Function Hall.
Sponsored by the Brandeis Cambodian Culture Club, the week aimed to educate the student body as well as to honor those who died during the holocaust.
Following the opening ceremony, held on Nov. 6, the week continued on Tuesday with a screening of the movie "Killing Fields" and a short discussion. Nominated for seven Academy Awards and the winner of three, "Killing Fields" is a cinematic exploration of the Khmer Rouge's Cambodian holocaust in the 1970s.
On Wednesday, there was a student panel discussion on the Cambodian holocaust, and the situation of Cambodian refugees in the United States.
Throughout the day, remembrance ribbons were also distributed to students at the information table in Usdan Student Center. Short documentaries on modern Cambodia were also shown.
Cambodian Holocaust Remembrance Week came to an end on Thursday.
Guest speaker Chanrithy Uong, city councilman of Lowell, Mass. and National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Americans (NAFEA) general secretary, spoke of his past experiences as a Cambodian refugee and a leader in the Cambodian-American community of Lowell, a city with the second largest Cambodian population in the country.
"At first, I worked in an assembly line for Radio Shack, but I wanted to achieve more," Uong said.
Although he only had a 10th grade-level education in Cambodia, he was able to find a job in an assembly line when he came to the United States to live with his sponsor. He later left the sponsor and the job to achieve higher ambitions. Soon, Uong received his master's degree from Boston University.
"The Massachusetts community helped to create a multiethnic coalition to support one of the first persons of color to be councilman in Lowell," Uong said.
Toward the end of his emotional speech, Uong shed tears while speaking of his family in Cambodia. He explained that he and his brothers had been separated from other family members during the holocaust.
Following Uong's words, the Angkor Dance Troupe performed several numbers. The dance troupe develops and teaches the traditions of Cambodian performing arts, promotes an understanding and appreciation of Cambodian culture and provides a positive social and educational outlet for Cambodian youth.
The group performed traditional Khmer dances such as the Blessing Dance, the Coconut Dance and the White Monkey Dance.
Dinner, consisting of traditional Cambodian couisine, was also served during the performance.
After three days of coordinated efforts to remember the tragic death of thousands of innocent men and women in South East Asia, the closing ceremony of this year's Cambodian Holocaust Remembrance Week took place on Thursday in Sherman Function Hall.
Sponsored by the Brandeis Cambodian Culture Club, the week aimed to educate the student body as well as to honor those who died during the holocaust.
Following the opening ceremony, held on Nov. 6, the week continued on Tuesday with a screening of the movie "Killing Fields" and a short discussion. Nominated for seven Academy Awards and the winner of three, "Killing Fields" is a cinematic exploration of the Khmer Rouge's Cambodian holocaust in the 1970s. On Wednesday, there was a student panel discussion on the Cambodian holocaust, and the situation of Cambodian refugees in the United States.
Throughout the day, remembrance ribbons were also distributed to students at the information table in Usdan Student Center. Short documentaries on modern Cambodia were also shown.
Cambodian Holocaust Remembrance Week came to an end on Thursday.
Guest speaker Chanrithy Uong, city councilman of Lowell, Mass. and National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Americans (NAFEA) general secretary, spoke of his past experiences as a Cambodian refugee and a leader in the Cambodian-American community of Lowell, a city with the second largest Cambodian population in the country.
"At first, I worked in an assembly line for Radio Shack, but I wanted to achieve more," Uong said.
Although he only had a 10th grade-level education in Cambodia, he was able to find a job in an assembly line when he came to the United States to live with his sponsor. He later left the sponsor and the job to achieve higher ambitions. Soon, Uong received his master's degree from Boston University.
"The Massachusetts community helped to create a multiethnic coalition to support one of the first persons of color to be councilman in Lowell," Uong said.
Toward the end of his emotional speech, Uong shed tears while speaking of his family in Cambodia. He explained that he and his brothers had been separated from other family members during the holocaust.
Following Uong's words, the Angkor Dance Troupe performed several numbers. The dance troupe develops and teaches the traditions of Cambodian performing arts, promotes an understanding and appreciation of Cambodian culture and provides a positive social and educational outlet for Cambodian youth.
The group performed traditional Khmer dances such as the Blessing Dance, the Coconut Dance and the White Monkey Dance.
Dinner, consisting of traditional Cambodian couisine, was also served during the performance.