PHNOM PENH – Cambodia’s Prime Minister led a celebration on Thursday to mark the return of dozens of precious artifacts from museums and private collectors abroad. The government’s commitment to continue working towards bringing more artifacts home was emphasized.

Hun Manet, the current Prime Minister, highlighted the symbolic importance of the 70 returned statues in reuniting the Cambodian people with their ancestral heritage. These artifacts were showcased at the Peace Palace, the seat of the country’s government.

Many of the artifacts were looted during the civil war and instability in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.

Cambodia has been benefiting from the global trend of repatriating art and archaeological treasures. This includes artifacts from Asia, as well as pieces lost or stolen during times of turmoil in various regions.

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts mentioned that the returned items include important Hindu and Buddhist masterpieces from the 9th to 14th centuries, such as statues of Shiva, Parvati, and Ardhanarishvara.

Hun Manet reported that a total of 1,098 artifacts have been returned to Cambodia since 1996, with 571 from private collections and 527 from institutions and governments abroad.

The 70 items displayed included 14 from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Other items arrived from private collectors, showcasing the collaborative effort in returning these cultural treasures.

The ceremony also highlighted the return of artifacts from well-known art dealer Douglas Latchford, posthumously indicted for his involvement in trafficking looted Cambodian antiquities.

The U.S. Embassy reiterated its commitment to returning looted artifacts to their rightful home and protecting Cambodia’s cultural heritage, fostering a positive partnership between the two nations.

Despite strained relations, the return of these artifacts signifies a step towards reconciliation and preservation of Cambodia’s rich cultural history.