Speaking at the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, delivered an impassioned plea to the world: maintain a joint commitment to protecting and preserving global cultural heritage.
The Minister gave her appeal real-world urgency by referencing the recent, devastating clashes along the Cambodian-Thai border. She expressed Cambodia’s deep regret over the irreparable damage inflicted upon the Preah Vihear Temple, a cherished UNESCO World Heritage Site. This loss, she underlined, serves as a painful reminder of how quickly conflict can wipe out irreplaceable monuments.
The Priceless Value of Peace
Against this backdrop of conflict, Minister Sackona warmly welcomed the recent diplomatic breakthrough: the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration on the Peace Agreement between Cambodia and Thailand (Oct. 26, 2025). She recognized the crucial facilitation role played by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister H.E. Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Drawing on Cambodia’s own harrowing past—marked by genocide and war—the Minister stressed that Cambodia understands the devastating consequences of conflict better than most. For Cambodia, peace is not just an aspiration; it is the priceless foundation for sustainable national growth and development. This commitment aligns directly with the Royal Government’s Pentagonal Strategy, Phase I.
Educating the “Quality Bamboo Shoots”
Beyond physical monuments, the Minister detailed Cambodia’s commitment to nurturing its future. She highlighted efforts in education, focusing on vocational training, lifelong learning, and digital literacy to prepare the nation’s young people—whom she beautifully referred to as “quality bamboo shoots”—to become resilient national pillars capable of meeting global challenges.
She also underscored Cambodia’s dedication to global cultural protocols, confirming the ratification of all UNESCO cultural conventions, and reiterating the nation’s ongoing fight against the illicit trafficking of antiquities. She directly called upon major museums and private collectors to engage in dialogue aimed at returning cultural properties to their countries of origin.
Cambodia, the Minister concluded, views its partnership with UNESCO as vital to integrating heritage education into schools, strengthening community ownership, and promoting creative industries that empower women and youth. The nation remains committed to conservation, sustainable development, and advancing an ethical information ecosystem built on respect for cultural diversity.