UNESCO Continues to Provide Support and Assistance for Cambodia’s Cultural Heritage Conservation

On the morning of 14 November 2026, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, received His Excellency Dr Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, for a courtesy call and working discussion at the Peace Palace, on the occasion of His Excellency Director-General was visiting Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 13 to 16 November 2026 to attend the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Cambodia’s membership in UNESCO and the 20th Francophonie Summit.

During the meeting, His Excellency the Director-General of UNESCO highly valued the excellent relations and cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and UNESCO in the fields of culture, education and science. He expressed confidence that his current visit would further strengthen relations and cooperation between Cambodia and UNESCO. He also noted that UNESCO’s mission was aligned with the Royal Government of Cambodia’s vision for human capital development, education and the enhancement of scientific capacity. In this regard, he affirmed that UNESCO would continue to work closely with relevant Cambodian ministries and institutions to bring greater benefits to the Cambodian people. Building on the achievements of past cooperation with the Royal Government, UNESCO would also continue to provide support and assistance in various areas, particularly in the long-term preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.

In response, Samdech Thipadei expressed his gratitude to His Excellency the Director-General of UNESCO and his delegation for their participation in the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Cambodia’s membership in UNESCO, as well as the 20th Francophonie Summit held in Cambodia. Samdech Thipadei also highly appreciated UNESCO’s support and contributions to the protection and conservation of Cambodia’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which constitutes a valuable heritage of humanity. He further underscored that cultural heritage protection goes beyond preserving physical structures, the legacy of ancestors and the national soul; it also involves educating and inspiring younger generations to learn about their country’s culture, civilisation and history, which form the foundation for building the nation’s future. Moreover, Samdech Thipadei emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability, which are essential not only for cultural heritage conservation but also for sustained socio-economic development. At the same time, the Royal Government has prioritised conservation efforts, the preservation of historical records and the safeguarding of national identity through promoting the digitisation of historical documents, transforming them into a comprehensive knowledge resource for researchers and students.

In closing, Samdech Thipadei encouraged UNESCO to further strengthen its cooperation with relevant ministries and institutions, particularly the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, to advance the promotion and conservation of national cultural heritage, which serves as an important driver of inclusive and sustainable development.

(Unofficial Translation)