Inauguration Ceremony of the Temporary Photo Exhibition on Illegally Exported and Repatriated Khmer Antiquities in Kampong Chhnang Province

On the morning of Thursday, July 30, 2026, the Department of Antiquities, in collaboration with the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts, organized the inauguration ceremony of a temporary public photo exhibition featuring information on illegally exported Khmer artifacts repatriated to Cambodia. The event took place at H.E. Academician Ouk Rabun Park, under the presidency of Mr. Voeun Vuthy, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Heritage of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Mr. Chhim Vuthyea, Deputy Governor of Kampong Chhnang Province, and H.E. Pov Bunthon, Member of the Provincial Council.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by approximately 300 participants, including directors of Provincial Departments of Culture and Fine Arts from all 25 capitals and provinces, department heads and unit representatives across Kampong Chhnang Province, youth members of the UYFC Culture and Fine Arts Sector, representatives of provincial microfinance institutions, leaders and civil servants of the provincial culture department, provincial UYFC members, Cambodian Scouts, the Cambodian Red Cross, as well as teachers and students.

The temporary exhibition aims to raise awareness of the value of preserving, protecting, conserving, and developing national culture toward achieving the goal of “Cambodia: Kingdom of Culture.” Most importantly, it allows the public to recognize and understand ancestral heritage assets that were lost and subsequently repatriated by the Royal Government, while inspiring a public movement to support and contribute to safeguarding Khmer cultural heritage.

Furthermore, organizing this event serves to inspire and encourage youth—the nation’s future—to gain a clearer understanding of the unique characteristics and richness of Khmer arts and culture passed down through generations. This represents an effective initiative to promote awareness, cultivate consciousness, and instill national pride in every Cambodian to protect and permanently preserve this cultural heritage, which forms the nation’s identity and soul.