For immediate release: Thursday 24 April 2009

Phnom Penh- Cambodia will mark the ILO’s 90^th anniversary on the 27^th and 28^th of April under the theme “ILO: Partner in the Development of Cambodia”. Cambodia’s chosen topic compliments the global theme”ILO - 90 years of working for social justice”.

“The ILO’s greatest strength is that its message of social justice is as relevant and inclusive today as it was 90 years ago. Work is one of the few experiences that everybody shares and decent work sums up the aspirations we all have for our working lives,” said Mrs. Sachiko Yamamoto, Regional Director, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Around the world, the ILO’s 90^th anniversary will be marked by a wide range of high level activities held during the week of April 21^th-28^th, being the date of the signing of the ILO’s original constitution at the Versailles Peace Conference on April 28^th 1919. More than 100 countries worldwide will join and launch a global initiative aimed at fostering hope and action for an embattled world of work.

The celebration is comprised of five interlinked events organized to showcase work being done in collaboration with the ILO’s partners to improve people’s lives in Cambodia starting from the reconstruction after the war and including current efforts to advance employment opportunities for women and men. The celebration is not only to highlight the achievements and positive outcomes of Cambodia-ILO partnership over the past 17 years but also to mark Cambodia’s 40^th anniversary of joining ILO.

The celebration includes:

• High-level conference on April 27th (morning only), at Chaktomuk Theatre, to celebrate the ILO’s 90th anniversary showcasing the tangible work being done by the ILO, through its partners, to improve the lives of all Cambodians. The event will highlight Cambodia’s development and reconstruction efforts and the Cambodia-ILO cooperation to promote decent work for all. HE Madam Men Sam An, Deputy Prime Minister and High-Level Representative of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and Mrs. Sachiko Yamamoto, ILO Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
• Product Fair from April 24th-26th on the theme "Buy Cambodian Products" to promote Cambodian products created by local and indigenous producers in Phnom Penh and provinces. The event also includes Cambodian traditional art performance and concert. There will be 90 booths to showcase Cambodian products at Chaktomuk Theatre, one for each year of the ILO.
• Technical seminar on Decent Work for all Cambodians on April 27th (afternoon only), at Chaktomuk Theatre, to address the impacts of the current economic crisis and promote local development strategies implemented through Cambodia-ILO partnership over the past 17years.
• Occupational Safety and Health Day Commemoration on April 28th (morning only) at Chaktomuk. This event falls on the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, celebrated in Cambodia since 2006.The purpose is to promote a safety culture in Cambodia, reduce accidents at work and raise public awareness of the importance of occupational safety and health.
• Photo Exhibit and Film Archive on April 27th and 28th at Chaktomuk theatre, in order to highlight the achievements and positive outcomes of the Cambodia-ILO partnership for the reconstruction and development of Cambodia.

For more information and media relations please contact:

Mr.Ny You

ILO Better Factories Cambodia

Tel: (855) 23 212 847 ext. 230 or H/P (855) 12 373 877