Blogs

The 6th Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum (CamIDF) wrapped up a powerful two days" on 26-27 March 2024 packed with insightful discussion including studying Chinese and Western tech flows in Cambodia, child online protection and digital literacy, the progress and challenges of data protection, open data policy, and other ICT and digital projects.

The 7th Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum, aka the 7th CamIDF, held on 27 June 2024, brought together experts, enthusiasts, and stakeholders to discuss crucial aspects of information and communication technology (ICT) in Cambodia. The Forum was part of a larger event, the Cambodia ICT Camp, which focused on three key themes: cyber security, open data, and data storytelling. This event, organized by Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC) along with support from the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), aimed to equip Cambodians with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the evolving digital landscape.

Hello, everyone and welcome to my blog. My name is Rithiya, and I am one of the Cambodian joining the 18th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) that happened in Kyoto in October.

I was thrilled to attend the 18th Annual Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan, from October 8–12.

Greeting everyone, I am Rithiya. I have been selected to receive a travel grant by Open Development Cambodia to join the 18th Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan from 8th to 12th October 2023.

My name is Ka Rohasim, a fresh graduate from the Department of Media and Communication at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. During my college years, I joined various extracurriculars and ran several projects that covered a variety of topics, including art, leadership, and the environment. After I volunteered at Earth Hour Cambodia, I co-founded a youth group called Youth Earth and implemented two digital campaigns that advocated for wildlife conservation and climate action. These campaigns were finished with great success. In addition to this work, I was also a content creator at a production house, where I created digital content and campaigns for businesses.

As a member of the Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum (CamIDF), I had an opportunity to apply for the Paris Peace Forum (PPF) program for the first time. I was selected to attend the fifth edition of the Forum under a project titled “Open Data for Indigenous and Ethnic Minority”.

I am delighted that I am a member of the Cambodia ICT Camp and the CamIDF because it allows me to gain benefits for capacity development and attend international events, like the Paris Peace Forum. I was selected to participate in the “Open Data for Indigenous and Ethnic Minority” project, presented by Open Development Cambodia, at the fifth Paris Peace Forum (PPF) in Paris.

The rapid growth of the digital technology sector shows promise to change Cambodian livelihoods. New technological concepts and tools have been developed and become a global trend in recent years.

WordCamp Asia which happened in Bangkok from February 17-19, 2023, was the first flagship WordCamp in Asia. So far, there have been three types of flagship WordCamp: US, Europe and Centroamérica. As a member of the Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum (CamIDF), I have attended this regional event thanks to the support from the Open Development Cambodia (ODC).

Open Development Cambodia (ODC), on 17 February 2023, organized the 3rd Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum (CamIDF) in Phnom Penh with 41 participants; 14 are women from CamIDF members, Cambodia ICT Camp alums, government officials, CSOs, indigenous people community, LGBT+ community, journalists, digital rights defenders, civil society organizations, start-ups, the private sector, and university students. The Forum discussed the Digital Transformation Policy, Child Online Protection Policy, and other topics.

On the 16th of November 2022, Open Development Cambodia organized the Second Cambodia ICT and Digital Forum (CamIDF) with 46 participants from the members of the Advisory Committee, members of the Forum, and relevant stakeholders to discuss various topics.

Cambodia is currently undergoing a fast-paced digitalization process that affects various sectors and activities. As a result, the government, citizens, private firms, and civil society organizations (CSOs) increasingly rely on digital tools and information communication technologies (ICTs) to develop their activities. ICT’s unprecedented opportunities for data management, access to information, knowledge-sharing, communication, and automation partly explain these agents' dependence on digital media. Furthermore, the development of Cambodia’s Digital Government Policy 2022-2035 means that individuals and professionals from many sectors in the country must adapt to newly implemented cybersecurity and digital rights laws.