Speaking Engagement
Location:
TBC
Date & Time:
Apr – May, 2025
Description:
A Life of Music, Healing and Hope
About the Event
To commemorate the 50 years of healing through art after the fall of the Khmer Rouge Regime, we are pleased to announce that Arn will begin another speaking tour in the upcoming spring of 2025, which he will explore the transformative power of art through his personal journey and broader societal impact.
Moreover, he will share his harrowing experiences during the Khmer Rouge regime and how music became his lifeline, as detailed in his book “Never Fall Down”. Arn will discuss the healing potential of art for individuals and communities, drawing from his own recovery and his work inspiring others. The talk will also examine art’s role in societal transformation, particularly in post-conflict settings, highlighting Cambodia’s artistic resurgence as a model for other nations. Through his story, Arn demonstrates how art can be a powerful tool for personal healing and social change.
About Arn
Born into a family of artists, Arn grew up in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime. Sent to a child labor camp and forced to play propaganda music during that period, he was later adopted by Reverend Peter Pond and moved to Vermont. After attending Brown University and graduating from Providence College, he returned to Cambodia on a mission to find the legacy of his family who were involved in Cambodian Opera, his music teacher from the time of the Khmer Rouge, and the stars of his early childhood. On this trip, the Cambodian Masters Performers Project, now Cambodian Living Arts, was born. Arn now lives outside of Phnom Penh and continues to work part-time on projects for Cambodian Living Arts.