National Archives of Cambodia holds centenary exhibition to recreate history with multilingual materials

China News Service, Phnom Penh, November 6 (Zhang Yanlin Yang Qiang) At the Centenary Exhibition of the National Archives of Cambodia (1926-2026) currently being held in Phnom Penh, people can see a large number of archival materials in different languages. These materials record Cambodia’s social changes and its interactions with the outside world, opening an important window for the audience to understand Cambodia’s past.

The exhibition opened in Phnom Penh on the 4th and is expected to last for one month. It is open to Cambodian people and international tourists free of charge.

The building housing the National Archives of Cambodia started in 1924 during the French colonial period and was completed and put into use in 1926. After wars and changing times, the National Archives still preserves a large number of precious documents, providing important information for historical research, public governance and future generations' understanding of the country's development process.

Ni Soknoon, deputy director of the National Archives of Cambodia, said in an interview with reporters that the library has multi-lingual archives in Khmer, Chinese, French, Vietnamese and other languages. He entered "chino" into the search system, and a French file numbered 552 quickly appeared on the computer screen, which recorded the daily activities of Chinese small ships from 1925 to 1926, with a total of 381 pages.

Ni Soknoon also displayed an electronically scanned document on his computer that recorded the navigation of small Chinese ships in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 1915. On the yellowed paper, the ship name, departure time, destination and other information are arranged in order.

According to the ancient Chinese books displayed on the exhibition board "Khmer Written Records in Chinese Historical Materials", ancient Chinese documents have recorded the use of writing in the Funan Kingdom, as well as the Funan monks who went to China to spread Buddhist classics and other past events. These documentary records provide precious historical clues for understanding early Cambodian culture and exchanges between China and Cambodia.

The exhibition has five major exhibition areas: ancient documentary heritage, Cambodia and French-speaking countries, the centenary history of the National Archives, public activities and digital display. The exhibits cover inscriptions, metal inscriptions, Bay Leaf scriptures, historical archives, ancient books, newspapers and maps, etc., focusing on Cambodia’s tradition of recording history and preserving documents since ancient times.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manai attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition on the 4th and said that these archives are precious assets of the country and an important and irreplaceable link to maintain the country’s collective memory. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Cabinet Office Wong Sewisot said that the government plans to transform the National Archives and National Library from document storage places into "national digital centers" to make them cultural tourism destinations.

"The transformation of the National Archives into a cultural tourism destination is something worth looking forward to. It will give more people the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding of Cambodian history and culture." Ni Soknoon said.