On 31 October, a cultural commemorative programme was organised in the Chaktomuk Conference Hall – one of the iconic buildings in Phnom Penh – on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the late King-Father Norodom Sihanouk. A part of the programme was a performance of the First soloist of the Czech National Ballet, Mr. Giovanni Rotolo. This was made possible by the effort of Ms Renata Sabongui, Czech ballet master, teacher and choreographer, who is bound by a friendship with His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. His Majesty also attended the event together with queen mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. Present were many prominent representatives of the public political life and the members of the foreign diplomatic corps as well. The hall for 850 people was thus fully crowded.   

In Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk (1922-2012) is considered the founding father of the independence. Not only was he a dominant political figure on the domestic scene for about six decades, but his charisma made him one of the leading politicians of the Non-Aligned Movement too. He commanded respect with the leaders of the then bipolar world. He was a great friend of Czechoslovakia and vice versa. Not without cause was he awarded by the Grand Collar of the Order of the White Lion, the highest award for merit for foreign citizens. But mainly, he initiated studies of his son, the current king Norodom Sihamoni, in Czechoslovakia, who spent 13 years there. Norodom Sihanouk was not only a politician. His another area of interest was most importantly culture – music, poetry, prose, and chiefly cinema. In addition, he was an able sportsman, he spoke foreign languages. A Renaissance man, in short.