Cambodian Youth and Artists Join Hands in a Concert to Fight Corruption

As part of its ongoing activities to tackle the problem of corruption in Cambodia, the Mainstreaming Anti-Corruption for Equity (MAE) project of Pact Cambodia is staging, in cooperation with the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Against Corruption (CoCSOaC) its first ever Clean Hands Concert to unite youth and artists in the fight against corruption in Cambodia. An estimated 50,000 people attended the event making this the largest anticorruption concert in the world. The event commemorated the 1 year anniversary of the 1 Million Signatures Campaign that MAE initiated in 2008. The 2008 campaign collected 1 million signatures from Cambodians to show their support for the immediate passage of an anti-corruption law.

In order to publicize this, hugely popular singers such as DJ Kleang, Meas Soksophea and Chhorn Sovannareach, with the comedy team led by Neay KOY and others, performed at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on the night of May 30th, 2009. Their star power and support in the fight against corruption attracted an estimated 50,000 Cambodian audience particularly youth to engage in a evening of music, fashion and comedy that will raise awareness about the problem of corruption and the need for the Cambodian government to finally pass the Anti-Corruption Law. Popular CTN television hosts Phor

Sophanith and Sansana “Sana” Khieu served as the event’s MCs.

In addition to the celebrity support that this concert had engage Cambodian youth to fight corruption, US Ambassador, Madame Carol Rodley, gave the opening speech to show international donor support for the 1 Million Signatures Campaign and anti-corruption in general. Several prominent civil society people also spoke to show their support for anticorruption campaign and the Anti-Corruption Law.

Included among the performers were Sokun Nisa, Sorn Solinka, Tak Ma, An Kunkola, and Muth Udom. To follow this concert, MAE is also planning a roadshow of the Clean Hands Concert that will travel to communes and villages all over Cambodia to promote the fight against corruption and gain more support from Cambodians to the Anti-Corruption Law. For more information about the Clean Hands Concert, please contact Ms. Houth Ratanak, Senior Program Officer, 012 802 551 or Long Borin, Program Officer, 012 987 158 of Pact Cambodia.