6月20為世界難民日，在1951年由聯合國難民署（UNHCR）發起，希望藉由確立特定節日，引起國際社會對難民問題的重視。紅色高棉已過數十年載，然而當時的創傷記憶仍留在柬埔寨這塊土地、刻畫在人們的心中。對於當時於泰柬邊境的難民來說，家鄉如此的近，也如此的遠，看似伸手可及，卻觸摸不到，即便戰爭結束返回家鄉也事是全非。該場次邀請到柬埔寨馬德望 Phare Ponleu Selpak Association (PPSA) 的兩位創辦人——TOR Vutha與 KHOUN Det 分享他們的生命經驗，如何從Site 2難民營到創辦 PPSA 的歷程，而藝術又如何成為治療創傷的途徑。
該場次第一部分將先播放由法國藝術治療師 Veronique Decrop 所執導的紀錄片 Shadow and light | Phare (Patrimoine humain et artistique des réfugiés et de leurs enfants) (https://associationphare.wordpress.com/），該部片講述泰國柬埔寨難民營Site 2 （1980 年代紅色高棉垮台後泰柬邊境最大的難民營）的故事，當時Veronique Decrop 於難民營內她通過繪畫和水彩課程幫助難民克服創傷經歷。第二部分則由PPSA 的兩位創辦人——TOR Vutha與 KHOUN Det 進行分享與QA。
June 20 is World Refugee Day, established by UNHCR in 1951. It hopes the international community will pay attention to refugee issues throughout the day. Decades have passed since the Khmer Rouge, but the traumatic memories of that time remain in the land of Cambodia and are inscribed in people's hearts. For the refugees then, their hometown was so close and far away that they seemed within reach; however, they couldn't touch them. So even if the war ended and they returned home, everything was changed.
On June 20 this year, 2023 Refugee Week Taiwan invites the two founders of Phare Ponleu Selpak Association (PPSA), Cambodia - TOR Vutha and KHOUN Det, to share their refugee life experience during that time, how they started from the Site 2 refugee camp to establish PPSA, and how art can be the approach to heal traumatic issues.
The first session of the event will start with the documentary Shadow and light | Phare (Patrimoine humain et artistique des réfugiés et de leurs enfants) (https://associationphare.wordpress.com/) directed by French art therapist Veronique Decrop. The film tells the story of the Site 2 refugee camp (the largest refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border after the fall of the Khmer Rouge in the 1980s), where Veronique Decrop was there to help refugees overcome traumatic experiences through painting and art lessons. The second session is shared and QA by the two founders of PPSA - TOR Vutha and KHOUN Det.
TOR Vutha（1975 年出生於 Site 2 難民營），現居於柬埔寨馬德望生活與工作。其紅色高棉倖存者和Site 2 難民營的錢難民，他的家人和他自1979 至 1992 年間居住在難民營，當時他參與了繪畫課程，作為藝術治療的一種方式。 從那時起，他開始參與藝術創作，並在France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Algeria與Reunion Island舉辦馬戲劇場表演。 2012至2013年，於法國Pivaut Superior Applied Arts School學習藝術。 作為一名新媒體的自由藝術家，他為泰國的教堂和寶塔製作壁畫，他在波爾多、留尼旺島、泰國以及最近在佛蒙特工作室中心開展了進駐計劃。
在嘗試了不同的道路後，他決定全身心投入到教學中來分享自己的經驗，目前是馬德望 Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPSA) 視覺與應用藝術學院的聯合創始人兼教學副主任。他的作品曾在French Embassy (2018) 與 French Cultural Institute in Cambodia (2017)、in Bangkok and Krabi (Thailand) (2012)、France (2010)、Colombia與the UN Headquarters in New York (2010) 展出。
TOR Vutha, (born in 1975 in the Site-Two refugee camp) lives and works in Battambang province. He remains haunted by both his childhood and young-adult experiences as a Khmer Rouge survivor and as a former refugee from Site-two refugee camp on the Cambodia-Thai border, where his family and he were in residency there between 1979 and 1992. He attended drawing classes there as a form of art therapy.Vutha fought boredom by learning to paint. From there, he became involved in artistic productions and staged circus scenography shows in France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Algeria, and Reunion Island. From 2012 to 2013, he continued to study Art at Pivaut Superior Applied Arts School in France. As a Multimedia Freelance Artist, he made mural paintings for the churches and pagodas in Thailand. He has residency art programs in Bordeaux, Reunion Island, Thailand, and recently in Vermont Studio Center.He is now a co-founder, Deputy Director of Pedagogy at the Visual and Applied Art School of Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPSA) in Battambang. After trying different paths, he decided to participate fully in teaching at PPSA to share his experiences.His works have been displayed at the French Embassy (2018) and French Cultural Institute in Cambodia (2017), in Bangkok and Krabi (Thailand) (2012), France (2010), Colombia, and the UN Headquarters in New York (2010).More about Lokru Vutha : https://ccva.art/artists/tor-vutha/
KHOUN Det 於 1972 年出生在馬德望Wat Ko 村。他為一名紅色高棉倖存者，過去生活為生活於柬泰邊境 Site-2 難民營的前難民。而目前為 Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPSA) 表演藝術學院的聯合創始人和院長。由於他身邊沒有家人，他透過參與藝術治療的繪畫班來對抗於難民營內的孤獨生活。此外，由於生活如此艱難，他還接受了武術和雜技體操的訓練。離開柬埔寨幾年後，他回到家鄉馬德望，在Phare Ponlue Selpak表演藝術學校學習馬戲技巧，他認為這可以舒緩他的能量並克服他的創傷。Khoun Det 一直致力於發展國際交流，例如在France、Talies、Svuise、Allemande、 Algries Spen、Japan、Korea、Hong Kong 與 La Reunion 的馬戲團巡迴演出（2003-2007），培養表演藝術能力，並從中汲取良好實踐。他相信藝術的力量改變了他的生活，而相信柬埔寨的年輕人也應該得到這些機會。
Khoun Det was born in 1972 in Wat Ko village, Wat Ko commune Battambang. His experiences during the dark period in Cambodia weren't as much different as Vutha. He is a Khmer Rouge survivor and a former refugee from Site-two refugee camp on the Cambodia-Thai border.Since he had no family there by his side, he fought his loneliness by joining the drawing class which was believed to be a form of art therapy. Also, he was trained to do martial arts and acrobatic gymnastics as life was so difficult and to defend himself during that period. After he left Cambodia for several years, he came back to his hometown, Battambang, to create the circus skill in Performing Arts school of Phare Ponlue Selpak as he believed that it channels his energy and overcomes his trauma.He has been working on developing international exchanges such as the circus tour (2003-2007) in France, Talies, Svuise, Allemande, Algries Spen, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and La Reunion, building capacity in performing arts and bringing good practices from renown foreign companies to Phare Performing Arts School. He believed the Power of Arts changed his life and so the youth in Cambodia deserved those opportunities, too.After several years of his hard work, he is now a Co-founder and the Director of Performing Arts School of Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPSA).More about Lokru Det : https://phareps.org/team/
Dara 與 Phare Performing Social Enterprise (PPSE) 的 47 位藝術家和 70 名團隊成員一起工作、玩耍和夢想，其使命是支持 Phare Ponleu Selpak 學校，為柬埔寨青年提供職業機會並振興柬埔寨的藝術。 2001 年在馬德望讀高中時，他是 Phare Ponleu Selpak Association 的一名音樂學生。 他加入了第一批表演藝術家，參加意識劇場/馬戲團巡迴演出，以就地雷、瘧疾、登革熱和其他公共衛生和安全議題上，針對柬埔寨農村人口進行教育。 他在柬埔寨的旅遊、旅遊、酒店和活動管理方面擁有 21 年的職業生涯，其中包括 9 年的藝術家職業生涯和社會項目可持續性。 他的夢想是與 Phare 一起開發和提升一個享有盛譽和國際認可的柬埔寨品牌。
Dara works, plays and dreams big together with 47 artists and 70 team members in Phare Performing Social Enterprise (PPSE) http://www.pharecircus.org in her mission of supporting Phare Ponleu Selpak school, providing professional opportunities for Cambodian youth and revitalizing arts in Cambodia. He was a music student at Phare Ponleu Selpak Association in 2001 in his High School Year in Battambang. He joined the first group of performing artists on awareness theater/circus performance tours to educate rural Cambodian populations on landmines, malaria, dengue fever and other public health and safety issues. He has 21 years of his professional careers in travel, tourism, hospitality and events management in Cambodia including 9 years in artists career and social programs sustainability. His dream is to develop and enhance a strongly reputable and internationally recognized Cambodian brand with Phare.