PHNOM PENH: Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona has expressed her gratitude to the US for its cooperation in the cultural sector and for the repatriation of looted Cambodian antiquities, with more than 900 items returned to date.
The culture ministry noted that the US has collaborated closely to prevent the illicit trafficking of Khmer cultural property and assisted in the repatriation of numerous artefacts which were lost during decades of war and internal crisis.
Sackona accompanied Cate Dillon, US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, on an Aug 28 visit to the National Museum of Cambodia, where several repatriated artefacts are currently on display.
According to the ministry, Sackona showed her several key pieces of art during the tour, including some of the more than 900 artefacts that have been returned from the US.
She thanked the US government for its ongoing support in the protection and conservation of Cambodia’s ancient temples and cultural heritage.
In addition, the US continues to provide cultural support to the Kingdom. In 2026, it provided a $132,000 grant to support the “Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage through a Unified Database System and Capacity Building” project, funded via the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant (CPAIG). - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
