Deputy Regional Director of UNICEF, Mr. Richard Bridle
Apsara Dancers, the opening act of the International Youth Day Concert
Pou Khlaing, Recording Artist, performing his hit single
Youth Group from the slum areas
Mr. Norn Sok, one of the audiences' favorite performance
Dr. Chea Samnang, Mr. Chhora Horm and Mr. Soem Manith
I was invited by Socheath to attend the event and help write an article for the university’s website. Socheath is the Director of Administration and Special Events for the South Campus of Pannasastra University, and also a new member on my team. Socheath is originally from the province of Kandal, and has completed her Master’s Degree and received an MBA from Pannasastra University in 2008. She has travelled overseas in Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Germany, and Brunei, as a member of the Youth Association of Cambodia and the Asian Youth Council. Socheath is very knowledgeable in the field of youth education, which will be one of the topics I will be focusing on for the radio talk show.
The other member on my team is Kolap, who recently completed her Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Library and Information Studies in May 2010. She is also a graduate of PUC in 2007 with a B.A. in International Relations. Kolap is the Director of PUC’s library system and has the resources available on any topics. Dr. Kol Pheng has surrounded me with hard working and intelligent women. They are very knowledgeable about the university’s programs and curriculums and I feel blessed to be working with them. He has given me the necessary tools to be a successful radio talk show host. Dr. Pheng mentioned at a faculty meeting to one of the professors that within two years I will be famous, and I will leave the show. I kindly said that I will stay longer than two years. In my earlier blog, I noted that Dr. Pheng is the Bill Gates of Cambodia. How can I not succeed if I have the support from the Minister of Youth and Education, who is also the Founding Father and the Dean of PUC, the most prestigious university in Cambodia.
International Youth Day is the celebration of the power of youth, recognizing their achievements, and encouraging them to be active in the development of their society. It is a day of promoting better awareness of World Programme of Action for the youth. The 2007 World Development Report insists on investing in the next generation. The energy of the youth, and their willingness to fight for the future are needed. One of the honorary guests at the concert was the Deputy Regional Director of UNICEF for East Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Richard Bridle. His motivational speech in English, and translated by Ly Pichey, in Khmer, stated, “Cambodia’s young people are the country’s greatest resource.” Mr. Bridle ended his powerful speech by speaking a few words in Khmer.
Distinguished guests in the Government, Embassies, Donors, Civil Society, and Private Sectors were invited to attend the event. I was honored to be seated next to Dr. Chea Samnang, a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for Cambodia since 2000. Later I found out that he is a famous actor as well as a doctor. Dr. Chea Samnang is a modest man, and only talked about his role as a Goodwill Ambassador travelling throughout Cambodia lecturing about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the impact on young people. He has traveled to Japan and the U.S. and has met Honorary Ambassador Takehito Nakata, as well as Academy Award Winning Actress, Angelina Jolie. Dr. Chea Samnang spoke briefly at the event and was commended for his charitable work.
Sitting next to Dr. Chea Samnang is Mr. Chhora Horm, another famous actor, and good friend of Dr. Chea Samnang. I also didn’t know who Chhora Horm was, and thought he was a reporter, looking very suave and debonair. Dr. Chea Samnang says Chhora Horm is a big movie star, and way more famous than him. The consensus says that Dr. Chea Samnang is the veteran actor, and has been in more movies than Chhora Horm. It’s like comparing Al Pacino to Matthew McConaughey. Dr. Chea Samnang is the bigger movie star, but he doesn’t admit it.
I’ve been around celebrities and high profile personalities in the U.S. and know how to interact with them. When I was living in Atlanta, on Thanksgiving Day, I would volunteer at Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, the biggest Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. Among the celebrities I served food and mingled with were R & B Artist and Rapper, T.I., NFL’s Atlanta Falcons owner, Arthur Blank, CEOs and CFOs from Delta Airlines, UPS, and Home Depot corporations, as well as NFL, NBA, and MLB professionals.
In California, working for Pelco opened up the doors to meeting many public figures. One of my heroes is the former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani. We hosted an event at our CEOs home to raise money for Giuliani’s good friend, Bill Simon, who at the time was running for Governor of California. For the cost of $2,500 a ticket, the guests each receive a photo with Giuliani and a fabulous dinner. This fundraising event raised the most money in the Central Valley in October 2002. Bill Simon lost the election to Gray Davis, who again, became Governor of California, but for only a very short time.
I was ecstatic to assist with the campaign for Arnold Schwarzenegger, a famous actor, who ran for Governor in California. He is married to Maria Shriver, one of the family members of the Kennedy, the closest thing to Royalty in the U.S. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a Republican, (so am I) held a Q & A press conference at Pelco, where voters can ask Mr. Schwarzenegger questions. I was chosen to be the microphone girl, running up and down and handing the microphone to the people. A shot of my arm made the CNN News. Schwarzenegger won the election and became California’s Governor in November 2003. The former CEO and President of Pelco, Dave McDonald, a Republican, is a good friend of Giuliani and Schwarzenegger. I still have photos from these special events and will always cherish the wonderful memories working at Pelco as the Marketing Communications Writer and Customer Relations Facilitator from 2001-2006. One of the highlights was marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, with some of my colleagues, the NYPD, FDNY, and the Port Authority officials of New York and New Jersey. Pelco played an integral role in the cleanup of the 911 attack in New York, as the Pelco cameras recorded the damages throughout the city for all to witness, primarily the unsafe areas of the Twin Towers. Some of my colleagues at Pelco are my biggest supporters, as they have followed my journeys from Clovis, California, to Atlanta, Georgia, and now to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Mr. Chhora Horm gave his speech and was later moved by a performance by the youth group in the slum areas. He walked up on stage and gave his bouquet of flowers to them, and they gathered around and embraced him. When Chhora Horm went back to his seat, I can see that he was emotionally touched. During the concert, guests and performers would stop by and meet Dr. Chea Samnang and Chhora Horm. Both of them were very gracious and cordial, as they are truly celebrities, with cameras continuously taking snapshots of them. I wonder how many photos or videos I am in as a background.
During the concert, Dr. Chea Samnang and I spoke about his role as a Goodwill Ambassador, and I asked if he would like to be a guest on my radio talk show. He was hesitant, since he believed that his English is not good enough to be on an English speaking only show. If it was in Khmer, he would do it. I said that his English is fine and he would make a big impact to the listeners, especially about youth education. He gave me his business card. My Barbara Walters’ persona kicked in. I said to Dr. Chea Samnang that I admired him for finding the time to be a Goodwill Ambassador, as well as a physician and actor. He smiled. I aspire to be like Dr. Chea Samnang, as I will one day, be a Goodwill Ambassador, and the Barbara Walters of Cambodia. Just a few things added on my bucket list, next to bungee jumping and visiting the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum in Agra, India. A bucket list is a list of things to do before you die.
Another entertaining moment was when Mr. Norn Sok performed and the audience was rolling with laughter. Mr. Norn Sok’s act captivated the audience with his rhythmic and comical song, while playing his guitar, as he joked about his handicap (eye sight). It was a great performance which made Dr. Chea Samnang come on stage and give his bouquet of roses to Mr. Norn Sok. The audience cheered as Mr. Norm Sok walked off the stage. All the guests who spoke and performed received a bouquet of beautiful, red roses.
The special event had performances of Cambodian traditional dances, Apsara dancers, legendary singer Eang Sythol, and a hip-hop performance by Pou Khlaing, who got the audience waving their hands in the air. Pou Khlaing energized the crowd with his singing, dancing, and comedic act. There were many great performances, but I thought Pou Khlaing was the highlight of the concert. You can watch him on youtube. I had the opportunity to speak with him afterwards, and asked him where he lived in the U.S. He stated in his act that he lived in the U.S. for two years. He said, “Kentucky”. I made this shocking look and said, “Kentucky”? I’m thinking California or maybe New York. He agreed and joked about Kentucky as well. In addition, Pou Khlaing has accepted my invitation to be a special guest on my radio talk show, launching in September of 2010. We exchanged contact information, and when he saw my name, he said, “Oh your highness, it is an honor to meet you.” I said, “Please, call me Soma, as I feel very uncomfortable being called that. Remember, I grew up in the U.S.” He still had his hands folded together in a praying gesture as I walked to my seat.
Youth are not the only leaders of tomorrow, but today. In order to build a prosperous and bright future, globally, we must recognize that our youth play an important role. Empowering and inspiring the youth to participate in creating positive social change is the key to growth for their countries, and International Youth Day celebrates their achievements. I hope to make an impact on the show and be a part of the development and rebuilding of Cambodia. This would make my father proud and Dr. Pheng happy.
It was getting late and Seda and I had to leave before the concert was over, as our father was waiting to have dinner with us. I invited my father to the event, but he declined. Seda suggests I give our VIP guests her business card, and write my contact information on it, since my business cards have not been made yet. I gave the cards to Dr. Chea Samnang, Chhora Horm, and Horm’s business partner, Soem Manith. They read my name and looked at each other. I could tell what they were thinking. It was a wonderful concert, and I had great time learning about International Youth Day, as well as getting to meet the George Clooney (Dr. Chea Samnang), Brad Pitt (Chhora Horm), and Will Smith (Pou Khlaing) of Cambodia.
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