Siem Reap French Institute to be continued

Director says rumours of the institute’s permanent demise, following the building’s closure, are premature

Despite the closure of the French Institute’s Siem Reap building, the institute is not shutting down in the city permanently, says the Phnom Penh-based director Romain Louvet.

The apparent closure of the institute – which has been operating in Siem Reap for 20 years and which many view as an essential bastion for preserving both French historic and emotional ties and the relevance of the French language – prompted hundreds to sign a petition directly addressed to Louvet.

However, the director this week said the building’s closure and halt in operations were prompted by the conclusion of the lease agreement on the property and part of an overall change in strategy that has been one year in the works.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/french-institute-be-continued