Dear Sombath,
Sustainable development and green issues have become global buzz words now, but you, well ahead of your time years ago, were driven to promote them, while always also cherishing Lao traditional culture. Your heart and soul were always with the villagers and with Lao youth.
You could well have had a lucrative career in prestigious institutions abroad, but you shunned fame and fortune and sacrificed all that to return to your country and your people. Since your abduction, you, an unassuming intellectual, have ironically been repeatedly thrust into the international spotlight – the impact of your work valued at international fora.
Your concern for Lao youth was almost an obsession for you – and your lifelong unstinting contribution to their development is probably unrivalled. Using the strategy of “edutainment”, you channelled Lao youth into constructive activities, protecting them from unhealthy influences and activities (eg, the devastation of drug abuse), and helping them develop leadership skills. PADETC (the organisation you founded) and its alumni are today what they are because of your total life dedication. Continue reading “Dear Sombath…from Victoria Goh”