Speech

Dedication of the Metal Conservation Laboratory

Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli

National Museum of Cambodia

March 23, 2006

Your Royal Highness Prince Sisowath Panara Sirivuth, Minister of Culture;Khun Samen,
Director of the National Museum of Cambodia;Excellencies;Members of the Press; Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor for me to be here with you this afternoon for the dedication of the newly renovated Metal Conservation Laboratory here at the National Museum of Cambodia.  One of Cambodia’s most precious assets is its cultural heritage.  Regrettably, historic monuments suffer from years of neglect, looters target archaeological sites and ancient temples, and priceless carvings and artifacts held in the national collection are deteriorating due to the ravages of time.  I am reminded of the words of one of my favorite actresses—actually I had a terrible crush on her when I was about 8 years old, and later in life she entered Greek politics, Melina Mercouri.  She once explained that “the past must emerge from the museums in order to become a source of inspiration and creativity, to become the inspiration and the joy of the people.”  And she also warned that “our common memory is threatened, our soul shrivels, our creativity stifles, and our present becomes rootless” whenever our cultural heritage is stolen, neglected, or destroyed.

The U.S. is committed to the protection of Cambodia’s heritage, and the opening of this laboratory represents just one aspect of my country's assistance to Cambodia in this endeavor.  The Metal Conservation Laboratory is a custom built space for the conservation treatment of metal objects and is stocked with the necessary tools, equipment and supplies.  More importantly, it is also the setting for the training of Cambodian staff in modern conservation theory and techniques.  This is crucial because ultimately it is up to the Cambodian people to preserve and protect their cultural heritage, and this training will enable them to take charge of this important matter.

I would like to thank several key individuals, without whom this Metal Conservation Lab would not have been possible.  First, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to His Royal Highness Sisowath Sirivuth, for his advocacy and support on behalf of the Ministry of Culture.  I would also like to thank National Museum Director Khun Samen for his lifelong commitment to the preservation of Cambodia's magnificent cultural heritage.  It was Khun Samen who first presented the idea of the Metal Conservation Lab to the Freer and Sackler Gallery.  Finally, I would like to recognize Sean Charette for all his work on behalf of the U.S. government to set up the lab and to train its staff.

Over the last few years, the U.S. government has provided nearly three quarters of a million dollars to fund cultural preservation projects in Cambodia, including restoration work at Phnom Bakheng at Angkor, the collection and publication of 30 oral folktales in Khmer, emergency excavations at Wat Jas, the revival of the classical Lakhaon Kaol dance, and a national education program on the importance of cultural preservation.  Additionally, in 2003 the U.S. and Cambodia signed a bilateral agreement that imposes import restrictions on Khmer archaeological material entering the United States.  The agreement comes up for renewal in 2008, and the U.S. Embassy is committed to working with the Ministry of Culture to ensure this happens.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has been quoted as saying:

"We are well aware that both tangible and intangible cultural heritage constitutes a harmonious whole in the national identity.  These cultural assets testify to the evolution of the civilization of a nation. Cultural heritage is usually regarded as the soul of the nation.  Therefore, the protection of cultural heritage should not be confined solely to the government, but is also the duty of each citizen."

The United States is proud to be a partner in the protection and preservation of Cambodian cultural patrimony.  And we join in the Prime Minister's call for each and every person to play his and her part.  An added incentive is the important role that culture now plays in Cambodia's economy.  More than one million visitors will travel to Cambodia this year to marvel at the country's temples, archeological sites and historical artifacts.  The National Museum alone draws thousands of tourists a month.  Tourism now employs over 100,000 workers, making it Cambodia’s second most important industry.  In working to preserve Cambodia's past, we are also ensuring Cambodia’s future.

Thank you.