Cambodia’s King marks National Culture Day with call to preserve heritage

PHNOM PENH, 2 March 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni has urged citizens to safeguard and promote the nation’s cultural heritage, marking the 28th National Culture Day with a message emphasising identity and social harmony.

In an address dated 3 March, the monarch said the annual celebration was an opportunity to raise awareness of the value of Cambodia’s cultural legacy and its role in national development.

National Culture Day is observed nationwide each year to highlight the importance of preserving traditions, customs and heritage. The King said the legacy handed down by Khmer ancestors formed “a strong foundation” of national identity and contributed to sustainable socio-economic growth.

He added that the occasion should foster patriotic consciousness guided by morality, with the aim of promoting harmony, dignity and national prestige.

The King stressed the role of younger generations in protecting and developing cultural heritage, describing them as a “dynamic force” ensuring traditions endure.

He also underscored the importance of preserving not only mainstream Khmer culture but also the diverse traditions of indigenous ethnic minority communities.

National Culture Day, he said, should remain in the hearts of all Cambodians, recalling the national motto: “When culture fades, the nation dissolves; when culture flourishes, the nation prospers.”

The monarch concluded by extending royal blessings to the country’s two Supreme Patriarchs, members of the Buddhist clergy and all citizens.