STORY: Cambodia hosted its Pride festival with performances in the capital Phnom Penh on Saturday (May 24) ahead of global Pride Month in June.

The celebration also included a drag competition, concert and fashion show, promoting the push for LGBT rights in a country where discrimination against the gay community persists.

President of Pride Cambodia, Rattanack Ath, said that he likes to organize events in public spaces where people would be exposed to it.

“As a human when we don't understand or don't know something, we are afraid and we try to stay away from it,” Ath said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (MAY 24, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PERSON HOLDING SIGN READING: "I ACCEPTED"

2. PEOPLE LINED UP FOR THE PARADE

3. PERSON SAYING (English): "EXPRESSION, CONNECTION" WHILE MARCHING

4. FEET OF PARADE PARTICIPANTS

5. VARIOUS OF PARADE PARTICIPANTS MARCHING ON THE STREET

6. SIGN READING (English): "THE LONGEST RUNNING GAY BAR IN CAMBODIA" / PERSON HOLDING SIGN

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS

8. PRESIDENT OF PRIDE CAMBODIA, RATTANACK ATH, SPEAKING WITH HIS COLLEAGUES ON THE STAGE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF PRIDE CAMBODIA, RATTANACK ATH, SAYING:

"As a human when we don't understand or don't know something, we are afraid and we try to stay away from it and that is why this kind of event let us mingle together with LGBT, all kind of communities, straight people, lesbian, gay. So this kind of event will bring us together and that is why I like to do it in a public area, so this area is a really good area because there are a lot of people coming to run and we have a potential, like about a thousand people already come here."

10. PEOPLE GATHERED NEAR STAGE

11. PERSON WITH RAINBOW FLAG PAINTED ON CHEEK

12. PEOPLE GATHERED, DANCING AND HOLDING SIGN

13. PERSON APPLYING STAMP TO ANOTHER PERSON'S HAND

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) 31-YEAR-OLD CHUOP SREYNOCH SAYING:

"We cut down some discrimination but here's still discrimination relating to the LGBTQ these days. I am so happy to have this event because it helped push the public in the country or in the world to know our LGBTQ issue more and more."

15. PEOPLE TAKING GROUP PHOTOGRAPH

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) 32-YEAR-OLD ANG ANUTRA SAYING:

"Today I am very happy to join this event because it is very important for our people to understand further the LGBTQ have the same rights and they are living everywhere in the country."

17. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THE FASHION SHOW

18. VARIOUS OF SHOW IN PROGRESS

19. PEOPLE WATCHING SHOW

20. VARIOUS OF SHOW IN PROGRESS, PEOPLE DANCING ON STAGE

21. VARIOUS OF FASHION SHOW

22. VARIOUS OF PERFORMER WINNING PRIZE OF TWO MILLION RIELS (APPROX $500 USD)

23. PERFORMERS ON STAGE

24. AUDIENCE MEMBERS MAKING SHAPE OF HEART WITH THEIR HANDS

25. (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) 38-YEAR-OLD THEARY SOKRITHY SAYING:

"What interested me from this fashion show is that they (the performers) so confident of what they are performing and dressed nicely."

26. PERSON WATCHING FASHION SHOW

27. (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) 34-YEAR-OLD KEO PESEY SAYING:

"They perform incredibly well and creatively to attract the LGBTQ audiences to support them, their rights and to show that Khmer can do the same as foreigners."

28. AUDIENCES GATHERED IN FRONT OF STAGE