Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Miss Landmine to Sweden

Dos Sopheap (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

09.03.2010
ScandAsia.com

When Dos Sopheap was four years she stepped on a landmine in his home country of Cambodia and lost his leg. Now she has won the first prize in the beauty contest Miss Landmine - where the award ceremony was held in secret because the Cambodian government banned it, reports Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

Now, the photos from the competition is a high-profile exhibition in Sweden.

When the Cambodian government banned the beauty contest the Norwegian artist Morten Traavik, the initiator of the contest for the second consecutive year, went around in Cambodia and met with the finalists in the secrecy.

He gave $ 1000 in prize to the beauty of Dos Sopheap, together with a prototype of a prosthesis to replace her lost leg. The prosthesis, is made of titanium and much smoother than the objects she has today.

“I am extremely pleased and proud to receive this award, especially the new prosthetic leg,” said Dos Sopheap to the Phnom Penh Post. Dos Sopheap will use the prize money to complete her studies. Her future dream is to work as an economist for a nonprofit organization.

Photo exhibition Miss Landmine

On March 9 the Army Museum in Stockholm opens the gates to the famous photo exhibition Miss Landmine. It shows colour photographs in large format and aims to shift the focus from women in a offer position to a rather strong survivor.

In this way, Norwegian Morten Traavik wants to reduce the feelings of inferiority and guilt diminished and instead create pride and strength.

Facts
  • Every year, 20000 people are injured or killed from landmines.
  • The UN has so far recognized 2 million people as victims of landmines, of which 300000 are in need of extensive care.
  • Cambodia is the country with most mines in the world.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I congratulate her for her contest winning. She is pretty and stll has a full live in front of her. The American, the Chinese, and the Vietnamese who created the war in Cambodia should also step up the plate for her.

Anonymous said...

Strangely, you forgot to include Cambodians who also "created the war in Cambodia". I'm thinking of Lon Nol, Pol Pot......I wonder why you overlooked them?

Anonymous said...

miss landmine, how bout miss killer,miss killing field,miss corruption,miss land grab,,,whatever..silly

Anonymous said...

English:

She, and then "his"?

What's going on?

Anonymous said...

miss,dos sopheap good luck honey,i hope oneday you`ll reach your goal.GOD BUDHHA BLESS YOU AND ALL THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLES AROUND THE GLOBE.