Cambodian diplomat to speak at Texas State Feb. 14

February 2007—Cambodia’s Deputy Chief of Mission to the United States Meng Eang Nay will participate in a panel discussion on Cambodia, Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. on the 7th floor of Alkek Library. The panel discussion, whose participants will also include Texas State’s Distinguished International Studies Professors, is sponsored by the Center for International Studies. It is free and open to the public.

The panel discussion is part of a year-long focus at Texas State on the Kingdom of Cambodia, a country in need of high-quality modern services in areas ranging from education and healthcare to urban planning and clean water. In 2006, Texas State alumnus Kenneth Wilson and his wife Verena, who wanted to do something to help the people of Cambodia and Southeast Asia, established the Wilson Asian Faculty/Student Exchange program in Texas State’s Center for International Studies, in the College of Liberal Arts. Last fall, Texas State faculty traveled to Cambodia to determine the ways in which Texas State faculty and students can be of most assistance in meeting the country’s needs. For example, faculty in the College of Liberal Arts may apply their expertise to modernizing educational systems, urban planning, public administration, and health psychology, while faculty from other colleges can assist in improving public health through the improvement of healthcare delivery and water quality. Deputy Chief Nay’s visit to the Texas State campus is under the auspices of the Wilson Exchange Program.

Mr. Nay’s position as Deputy Chief of Mission to the U.S. is similar to that of a deputy ambassador. Mr. Nay assumed his position in 2005, having served previously as the director of the International Organizations Department at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as counselor in the Cambodian Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Mr. Nay holds a master's degree in international law from Moscow University in the Russian Federation. Last year, he helped to launch the Peace Corps’ first program in Cambodia, a rapidly-growing country interested in volunteers who can teach English and support local instructors.

"English is essential," said Nay. "It's important for people to find jobs, particularly in the private sector." He hopes that the Peace Corps volunteers will also increase awareness of HIV/AIDS and provide help in other areas of need, such as agricultural infrastructure development, he said.

Cambodia was listed as one of 12 "hunger hot spots" where the situation was "extremely alarming" in the 2006 Global Hunger Index of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The United Nations' World Food Program appealed for $10 million last year to distribute food to about 1.1 million Cambodians in need.

For more information on Mr. Nay's visit, contact:

Ms. Brandi Simchak
Center for International Studies
bs28@txstate.edu
(512) 245-2339