Cambodia

We had the good fortune, through our “Listening” project, to meet wonderful people in Cambodia and highly committed initiatives working for ecology, the arts, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups and communities.

Whether it was Leng Dei’s garden house, tiSamjort’s studio, or Phare’s art school, a common thread in our interviews was the idea of community-defined “safe spaces”.

We conducted inspiring interviews, including with a youth organisation fighting environmental pollution by collecting and sustainably disposing of plastic waste, as well as with former factory workers who formed a band to sing out against poor working conditions and social inequality.

Ashley Thompson encourages her students to engage in debate and critical thinking while Sopheak Sao empowers women and LGBTQ+ people to stand up for equality. As an artist, Sreymao Sao connects the local scene in Battambang with international artists and strengthens community.

Another initiative that we encountered during our trip — and which deeply impressed us in Phnom Penh — was “Seeing Hands Massage”, where treatments are performed by blind therapists. Nika’s Massage Centre was the first of its kind in the city, supporting blind people and helping them to integrate into society.

We are grateful to have listened to so many inspiring ideas, initiatives, and personal stories. First and foremost, a huge thank you goes to all our interviewees for their openness in sharing their projects. We are deeply impressed by the energy and dedication they invest in their social commitment to others and to nature. We are very touched by the poem written by So Phina, which is a wonderful opening to the theme of our publication.

Without Nico Mesterharm, Sao Sreymao, Enric Catala, Mech Sereyrath, and their networks, we would not have come this far. We greatly enjoyed the exchange and the studio time with Sreymao in Battambang.

Saing Chanchamroeun kindly helped us to create the subtitles. Special thanks to Stefan Wille for generously creating the website. Many thanks to Stiftung Umverteilen for making “Listening” possible, and to Meta House (Goethe-Zentrum Phnom Penh) for hosting the exhibition.

Cambodia

Exhibition at Meta House