December 6 2002
José Carreras gives benefit concert in Cambodia
06/12/2002 - José Carreras will give a benefit concert in front of the imposing backdrop of the temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Riep on 6 December. This cultural delight is being organised by the well-known hotel concern, Raffles International. The proceeds will go to four Cambodian aid organisations including SOS Children's Villages of Cambodia.
The World Heritage Site of the temples of Angkor Wat will provide an impressive stage for this prestigious concert. Taking part will be the star tenor, José Carreras, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as well as hundreds of dancers, singers and musicians from the National Dance Troupe of Cambodia. This musical event will, however, not only be a present for musical gourmets but also, at the same time, for four aid organisations, which are to benefit from the concert. The proceeds will go to the Cambodian Red Cross, WildAID, Veterans International for landmine victims and SOS Children's Villages of Cambodia.
Ahead of this benefit concert, Richard Helfer, chairman and managing director of the Raffles International, the organisers, said, "It has always been a part of our philosophy to engage in charitable events at the places where our hotels are located. This concert will strengthen our commitment to the Cambodian people."
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Cambodia is a small country in South-East Asia, which has been bled by colonial and civil wars as well as the terror regime of the Red Khmer and the decades of guerrilla warfare against the government powers. In the past few years it has slowly found peace. It is one of the newest locations for SOS Children's Villages. The cornerstone was laid for the first SOS Children's Village and kindergarten in January 2000, in the capital, Phnom Penh. This SOS Children's Village was officially opened in the presence of the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, at the beginning of this year. A second SOS Children's Village has already been built in Siem Riep, which is not far from Angkor Wat and the first children were able to move in in October 2002. The plans are now to build SOS Social Centres and SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools at both locations and a third SOS Children's Village will be built in Battambang.