PM Hun Manet: National Archives Worth More Than Gold as Guardians of National Memory

Speaking at the historic event, the Prime Minister said documents and archives are "the sacred roots of national identity and national knowledge" that all must strive to preserve and compile, both physically and through digitisation, so future generations have a strong foundation for study and research.

"The National Bank keeps gold, but the National Archives and National Library keep documentary heritage worth more than gold, because they are the guardians of our nation's memory and identity," he said.

He said the exhibition would turn the historic grounds of the National Archives and National Library into a "public heritage site" for a full month, serving as testimony to the high sense of responsibility for safeguarding archival heritage—the nation's treasure and chain of memory—so it is not lost or damaged, in line with the Khmer proverb "a tree with roots stands firm."

The centenary exhibition is not merely a commemoration but an important national platform reflecting the Royal Government's firm commitment to preserving, maintaining and modernising documentary heritage and national memory, he said.

The Prime Minister noted that over the 100 years since its founding, the National Archives has weathered many historic storms, particularly during the dark era of the Khmer Rouge genocide, when the institution was abandoned, used to raise animals and many documents were destroyed. With patriotism and tireless resilience, post-war trained officials worked to collect and reorganise archival documents from the ashes starting in 1979, building the strong institution it is today.

He said the National Archives has become a national heritage site closely tied to national identity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Through its function of storing historical documents, maps, treaties and official records of clear provenance, the site has become a valuable source of evidence supporting study, legal positioning and the protection of national interests—as demonstrated in the Preah Vihear temple case, which showed the vital link between historical heritage, international law and national sovereignty.

Finally, the Prime Minister instructed that the National Archives and National Library be well managed through stronger governance and digital modernisation for the safe upkeep of documents, and called for more human resource training in the field, including promoting study of archives and library management at master's or doctoral level to build Cambodia's next generation of archivists and librarians.

Source: Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia

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Reported by The Khmer Today