Cambodia & Culture : PM Hun Manet shares recommendations for Cambodian artists to promote and safeguard Khmer Arts and Culture

On Friday, as he was presiding the “Successor” Gala Dinner, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shared several recommendations for Cambodian artists to promote and safeguard national arts and culture in a “clear and confident manner”.

The Premier made the appeal while he and his spouse were presiding over the “Successor” Gala Dinner with the participation of some 3,000 senators, lawmakers, senior government officials, elite businessmen and Cambodian artists from across the nation, at Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh.

Six recommandations

First, the association's official process relies on legal documents, which are fundamental for its successful and efficient operation. In this regard, Samdech Thipadei strongly encouraged the association to cooperate with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to prepare strong and effective legal documents for implementing and considering short-, medium-, and long-term action plans.

“These are the key to its success”, he said.

Then, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet noted that the Khmer Artists Association had become a significant training ground for famous and highly talented artists. The premier is certain that in the near future, the association will continue to be a hub for training, knowledge transfer, and the sharing of experiences from senior artists to new generations.

Third, in the field of arts and culture, artists are role models and influencers of various backgrounds, especially through media. It is clear that maintaining the value of national art, culture, and personal integrity of artists depends on their decisions. Correct decisions will receive public support, while wrong decisions will face social pressure.

The Khmer Artists Association must work closely with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the relevant ministries and institutions to set the code of ethics for artists and establish professional ethics for artists. It must also serve as a coordinating mechanism with the association and all artists.

Fourthly, in the context of the digital revolution, where the sharing of information is faster and more challenging, Samdech Thipadei demands that all artists be extremely careful to avoid producing, creating, or performing any content that is detrimental to society or national unity.

Furthermore, the association must consider and contribute to increasing activities to help society, children, women, the elderly, the disabled and environmental sanitation. In particular, the association must continue to pay attention to artists, including elderly artists who have a difficult life. This is something the association has always done.

Fifth, “when creating new works and compositions, we must focus on innovative entertainment to capture interest and gain support. However, we must also include educational messages and promote social morality and family values by adhering to the principles of truth and virtue. We must avoid plagiarism and ensure that our work becomes a model and a legacy for the next generation”, the PM said.

Sixth, Samdech Thipadei made it clear that supporting, training, educating and encouraging young people is an obligation to continue safeguarding the ancestral heritage in the further development of Cambodia's national arts and culture.

Copyright

Prime Minister also appealed to all artists to fully respect the code of conduct and the copyrights in order to preserve and protect the national identity and dignity. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said the code of conduct and the copyrights are so important that we have to further enhance them. “We cannot copy others […] and put in our culture, we have to modernise our arts following our tradition and cultural context,” he underlined.

at Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh

He also encouraged the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to pay high attention to some forms of arts that are at risk of being lost forever.

“We should not have something new while losing our historical and cultural legacy,” he said. “We must work together to develop and protect, and especially to preserve some forms of arts that may one day disappear.”

At the same time, the PM expressed his support and encouraged the Cambodian artists to further promote the cultural products on the international scene and said he will establish a foundation to preserve, protect and conduct research on some vanishing art forms.