On December 26 and 27, 2014, PE festivals were held at both the Petonu and Pureashinuku elementary schools in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia. Thirteen people from Okayama, including Professor Yuichi Hara of the Graduate School of Education Master’s Program, members of the Okayama-shi Board of Education, and students from the university, worked together to support the festival.

At both schools, around six hundred children and their parents participated in the festival. Work to put on the festivals was mainly done by Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), government authorities, and the elementary schools. In addition to relay races and mock cavalry battles, the festivals included activities used during physical education classes at each elementary school, providing a local flavor. Having never experienced a PE festival before, participants passionately took part in the competitions, cheered wildly, and got caught up in the excitement.

In September of the same year, in cooperation with the non-profit organization Hearts of Gold, Professor Hara actively prepared for the holding of the festivals which included holding local workshops, mainly for the teaching staff at each school and MoEYS members. As one part of service learning (learning that combines college education and social services), Okayama University students took part in various activities, including working with Cambodian university students and cooperating with MoEYS members to resolve issues.

These PE festivals drew attention from within Cambodia for various reasons, including the fact that they were picked up by the local news. Starting next year, there are plans to hold PE festivals using MoEYS funds, and support will continue to be provided, mainly by Professor Hara and others.