Ladies and Gentlemen
Dear friends
I am especially pleased and touched to welcome you here to share a number
of my gold thread embroidery works as well as my artworks depicting daily
life in Laos.

Par mes creations artistiques, je m efforce de demontrer tant en Europe qu
aux Etats Unis qu il y a au Laos un << savoir – faire >> et un << savoir –
etre >> tout a fait specifiques. Ces << SAVOIRS >> meritent d etre connus,
preserves et promus. Mais surtout TRANSMIS aux jeunes generations .

Through my work, I aim to show in both Europe and the United States that
there is in Laos a savoir-faire and savoir-etre—a mastery of the many arts
of living—entirely unique to the country of my birth This mastery deserves
and demands to be known, preserved, and promoted, and above all
transmitted to younger cohorts.

Connus, parce que notre patrimoine est encore << trop souvent ignore ou
peu connu >> par dela le monde.

Preserves, car il n y a pas de << societe sans culture >>.

Promus, car c est un formidable outil pour developer notre identite .

Transmis aux jeunes generations pour en assurer << la perennite >>.

Known because our heritage remains largely unrecognized in the larger
world. Promoted because it is a deeply worthy and important task to
develop our own identity. And transmitted to the younger generations to
assure that they will live on.

Eduquer les jeunes generations a nos << Savoir – faire >> et nos << Savoir
– etre >> est un devoirque je me suis desormais fixe.

To pass on these arts—this savoir-faire and savoir-etre—this is the task
to which I have dedicated my life.

Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith
Translated by Sarah Jackson-Han
Lao Heritage Foundation
Washington D.C June 2005