APAC Business Awards 2017

10 APAC / Business Awards 2017 , NGO KDKG e.V.. is the umbrella organization of the Cambodian-German Cultural Centre Meta House Phnom Penh, which was established in 2007 in Cambodia’s capital by German journalist Nico Mesterharm and his Cambodian team. Set on 500 square meters, the centre is open to the public six days a week. It accommodates an art gallery, the German language school, a rooftop cinema and the restaurant; Art Café. Nico explains what events the organisation puts on and what it does to support other businesses and ventures within Cambodia, “Each month, we host more than 100 free admission events, such as art and photo exhibitions, film screenings and talks, dance and theatre performances, music concerts and DJ parties. We also provide space for meaningful public events, workshops and seminars. Through artist exchange programs, community arts projects and by fostering links with galleries, AB170005 Meta House Cambodian-German Cultural Association (KDKG e.V.) / Meta House Phnompenh is the sole partner of the German Cultural Foundation “Goethe Institute” in Cambodia. Journalist NicoMesterharm tells us more about the organisation and its ongoing success. curators, foundations, as well as with South-East Asian and international universities, we actively support Cambodian artists and students to promote the development of contemporary arts and media in Cambodia.” Winning this award is a sign of Meta House’s recent and ongoing success, and Nico explains how it feels to have won, as well as describing what he believes to be the main reasons behind the firm’s success. “Here at Meta House., we are very grateful to win this award, as it also brings recognition to Cambodia’s young and thriving media and arts scene after decades of turmoil. The growth of expressive art forms is crucial to the development of any society, none more so than Cambodia where individuals are desperate for a voice. This is why we foster an environment of self- expression and critical thinking. “Furthermore, we give a special focus to social-related and charity art projects in Cambodia, dealing with important issues such as domestic violence, corruption, drug abuse, human trafficking, child exploitation, climate change, deforestation and the on-going reconciliation process after 30 years of civil war. We actively promote democratic values and human rights such as freedom of speech and free access to the internet worldwide.” With an overall vision of promoting insight and knowledge between Cambodia and Europe, there must be a certain amount of teamwork in which everyone works together in order to achieve the targets the that organisation sets itself. Nico tells us about Meta House’s mission and the steps which the NGO takes in order to achieve this. “Moving forward, our purpose is to promote intercultural exchange and knowledge transfer between Cambodia and Europe. Moreover, we aim to meet cultural needs of Cambodians both in the country and in the diaspora. The NGO promotes education and development of cultural industries. The centre continually strives to engage community members of all ages in the creation, contemplation, and appreciation of visual and performing arts. Moreover, we invite creative people from around the globe to explore what Cambodia has to offer. Regarding the internal culture within the organisation, Meta House follows a participatory model. The team has a passion for excellence, and continues to provide the highest degree of expertise required to develop and realise a huge variety of projects.” Signing off, Nico looks to the future as he discusses some upcoming events, and what subjects the team would like to tackle, highlighting how staff are always looking to overcome the important issues. “Lastly, In the year 2015, we have introduced theatre as educational tool in Cambodian classrooms, in cooperation with