BlogFest Asia 2012 Opens in Cambodia · Global Voices
Sopheap Chak

Cambodia is hosting BlogFest Asia 2012 which is expected to gather around 200 individuals from several Asian countries. The event on November 1-5, 2012 will take place in the historic town of Siem Reap. This is the third BlogFest which was earlier held in Hong Kong in 2009 and later in Penang, Malaysia in 2010. The event organizers hopes the BlogFest will continue to be a venue where people actively share information about media and technology:
BlogFestAsia has been organized twice in Hong Kong and Malaysia in order for technologists, bloggers, social media enthusiasts and tech lovers in the region to come, share, learn and exchange information related to technology development in the region.
Phin Santel, who blogs at Khmerbird, is excited about the event:
The fun days will be coming soon. It’s the BlogFest Asian 2012 which will be organized for the first time in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
During the registration period which is now closed, Myanmar blogger Kyaw Zay Ya who joined the two BlogFest Asia activities in the past, encouraged his readers to participate in the Cambodian event:
If you want to meet with bloggers from around the Asia it’s not too late to apply. I had attended 2 times in Hong Kong 2009 and Malaysia 2010, truly interesting, Now Cambodian bloggers are organizing the BlogFest Asia 2012 in Siem Reap on November 1-5.
Andy Brouwer, a blogger based in Cambodia, also sees the BlogFest activity as a venue to interact with the region's bloggers
if you are a blogger yourself then a meeting with hundreds of other bloggers from Asia may be the thing that will inspire you.
Participants are expected to share the various issues confronting netizens in their respective countries. But aside from documenting the development of the cyberspace community in the region, this year's BlogFest Asia will also bring together experts on internet empowerment, online civic engagement, mobile blogging, and internet security. The Global Voices Lingua project will be highlighted as well in the program.
The event will be officially opened by the host University, Build Bright. The closing ceremony, meanwhile, is to be presided by the Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith.
Below are some photos highlighting the preparation for the BlogFest Asia 2012.
The secretariat preparing to hang a banner in front of the university. Photo by author
The banner of BlogFest Asia 2012 is almost ready for public posting. Photo by author.
Filipino participant Tonyo Cruz shares his expectations:
Perhaps the highlight of this event are the country reports where we would have a chance to get a view of what’s happening across many parts of Asia. Inasmuch as we Filipinos wish to share what we have been doing and what we do best, it is always better and great to listen to how our neighbors in Asia are faring.
At the end of this gathering, we should have made new friends and strengthened solidarity among us Asian bloggers, knowing better our common concerns and making social media work for ourselves and our national communities. National boundaries (and controversies over them) may separate us, but our passion for free expression whether thru text, video, photo or the technology bind us together.
The twitter hashtag for the event is #blogfestasia12. The event's proceedings can be monitored on Facebook as well.