New York: On June 9, 2021, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia in the United States and the Office of the New York District Attorney held a signing ceremony between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the New York District Attorney on the transfer 27 trafficked Cambodian artifacts from the Prosecutor’s Office to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Press Release:
Signing Ceremony to Receive 27 Khmer Artifacts
HE Chum Suntory, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States and New York District Attorney’s Office Signs Agreement between Kingdom of Cambodia and New York District Attorney on the Transfer of Trafficking in Cambodian Artifacts from the Prosecutor’s Office to the Kingdom of Cambodia at the signing ceremony at the Prosecutor’s Office on June 9, 2021.
Lok Chumteav, Dr. Pheung Sakona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts was present through a video from Phnom Penh to witness the signing. His Excellency Ambassador Ke Sovann Representative of the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations was also present.
Of the 27 artifacts recovered by the prosecutor’s office and the Ministry of Homeland Security in the United States includes a number of important Buddhist and Hindu statues of the Angkorian period including: bronze Buddhas, statues of idols and goddesses of wisdom, Baramita, made of sandstone, etc.
During her speech at the signing ceremony, HE Minister Phoeung Sakona expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the cooperation and efforts of the United States Attorney General’s Office New York, US Department of Homeland Security, US Embassy in Cambodia, and Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States and the working group of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia in sending these cultural treasures back to the motherland of Cambodia.
Lok Chumteav also thanked all relevant ministries and institutions, as well as many other dignitaries in both public and private institutions for the support and cooperation that made the historic event, especially in the difficult situation caused by COVID-19.
