U.S. Grants $57,000 to Strengthen Conservation at Preah Vihear and Koh Ker
U.S. Grants $57,000 to Strengthen Conservation at Preah Vihear and Koh Ker
PHNOM PENH, Oct. 5, 2026 — The United States has announced a new $57,000 cultural preservation grant to expand professional conservation training for Cambodian heritage workers at the World Heritage Sites of Preah Vihear and Koh Ker.
Public Affairs Counselor Katherine Diop announced the grant during the 11th Technical Session of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Temple of Preah Vihear (ICC-Preah Vihear) in Siem Reap.
The funding marks 25 years of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and comes as the United States prepares to mark 250 years of independence.
The grant will expand a professional conservation certification program for Cambodian foremen and technicians that was first launched at Angkor Archaeological Park in 2024 by the World Monuments Fund and the APSARA National Authority.
Under the expanded project, an additional 40 Cambodian foremen and technicians working at Preah Vihear and Koh Ker will receive professional conservation certification.
The initiative is designed to strengthen local expertise and develop a skilled and resilient workforce capable of helping safeguard Cambodia’s cultural heritage for future generations.
By investing directly in Cambodian conservation professionals, the program aims to build long-term technical capacity while supporting the preservation of some of the country’s most important World Heritage Sites.
