PM Hun Manet Opens National Archives Centenary Exhibition, Vows to Safeguard National Memory

Phnom Penh, November 4, 2026: Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet opened an exhibition marking 100 years of the National Archives of Cambodia on Nov. 4, 2026, declaring that archives are worth more than gold because they preserve the nation's memory and identity.

The exhibition, themed "A Century of Memory Toward Promoting National Identity," was held in Phnom Penh.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister called documents and archives the sacred roots of national identity and national knowledge, urging efforts to preserve them in physical and digital form so future generations can build on a strong foundation for research.


"The National Bank keeps gold, but the National Archives and National Library keep documentary heritage worth more than gold," he said.

He said the exhibition transforms the historic grounds of the two institutions into a public heritage site for a full month, reflecting the government's commitment to preserving and modernising documentary heritage.

PM Hun Manet recalled the archives' turbulent history, including the Khmer Rouge era when the institution was abandoned, used for animal raising and many documents destroyed. From 1979, newly trained post-war officials worked to rebuild the collection from the ashes, he said.

He noted that the archives, which hold historical documents, maps, treaties and official records, have become a valuable source of evidence for legal positions and national interests, citing the Preah Vihear temple case as an example of the link between heritage, international law and sovereignty.

The Prime Minister instructed that the National Archives and National Library be better governed and digitally modernised, and called for expanded training in archives and library management up to master's and doctoral level to secure the next generation of professionals.

Source: Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia


Reported by The Khmer Daily Network