Arya News - The “Heritage Homeland · Beauty Shared” China-Cambodia Cultural Heritage Festival will open on September 4 and features 61 visual stories showcasing China’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, iconic landmarks, historic architecture, traditional culture and heritage conservation.
PHNOM PENH – The story of China’s vast natural, cultural and historical heritage will take centre stage at Factory Phnom Penh this month, where visitors will be invited to explore ancient traditions, remarkable landscapes and some of the country’s most treasured historic sites.
The “Heritage Homeland · Beauty Shared” China-Cambodia Cultural Heritage Festival will open with a September 4 ribbon-cutting ceremony, bringing together the Embassy of China in Cambodia and Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts for a month-long celebration of the cultural heritage shared and appreciated by the two countries.
The exhibition will open to the public from September 5 through October 4, with free admission.
At its heart is a collection of 61 visual stories showcasing China’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, iconic landmarks, historic architecture, traditional culture and examples of heritage conservation.
Together, the photographs offer visitors a journey across China without leaving Phnom Penh — from landscapes shaped over millions of years to monuments and traditions that reflect centuries of human history.
The exhibition was precisely curated to invite the audience to understand the stories and ideas behind the heritage. Visitors can discover the traditions, craftsmanship and conservation efforts that have helped preserve some of China’s most important cultural and natural treasures.
Cambodia will also have a place in the exhibition.
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts will contribute photographs highlighting Cambodia’s own UNESCO-related heritage, giving visitors an opportunity to view the cultural and historical treasures of both countries side by side.
The Cambodian contribution will add another dimension to the exhibition, showing how two countries with long and distinctive histories continue to preserve and celebrate their heritage for future generations.
A special educational section will focus on another shared story: the cooperation between Chinese and Cambodian archaeologists and heritage experts in the conservation of Angkor and other historic sites in Cambodia.
The booth, titled “Conserving Angkor Heritage: China-Cambodia Cultural Heritage Cooperation”, will introduce visitors to some of the research and conservation work carried out through this collaboration.
The opening programme on September 4 will feature remarks from Li Ji, Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, and a representative of Cambodia’s cultural conservation experts.
Yuan Mengxi, a participant in cultural heritage conservation projects, will deliver a keynote lecture, “Tales of Restoration in Angkor”, followed by a question-and-answer session.
The ceremony will conclude with remarks from Chinese Ambassador Wang Wenbin and Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona, followed by a documentary screening highlighting cooperation between the two countries in preserving cultural heritage.
The opening will also be attended by students from local public and private schools, as well as universities, providing the Kingdom’s youth with a chance to better understand the close relationship between the two ancient civilisations.
But the festival will extend beyond the exhibition galleries.
Visitors will be able to experience elements of Chinese culture through Hanfu dress-up, calligraphy workshops, regional cuisine, interactive games, photography areas and activities aimed at people of different ages.
The organisers hope the combination of visual storytelling and hands-on experiences will encourage the public, and young people in particular, to take a greater interest in heritage and cultural preservation.
Factory Phnom Penh chairman and co-founder Dr Ben Li said the venue was proud to host an event bringing Cambodian and Chinese traditions together in one shared space.
CEO and co-founder Dr Catherine Chan noted that cultural exchanges become more meaningful when people can experience them directly and learn from one another. This will allow guests of the exhibition to develop a deeper appreciation of the friendship between China and Cambodia.
For one month, Factory Phnom Penh is proud to offer visitors a chance to travel through China’s landscapes, history and living traditions, while also discovering Cambodia’s own heritage and the growing cooperation between the two countries in protecting the treasures they share with the world.