UNESCO Deputy Director-General Pledges to Monitor Preah Vihear Temple Case and Contribute to De-escalation

Mr. Nayef Al-Fayez, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Culture, has affirmed UNESCO's support in continuing to monitor the Preah Vihear temple case and pledged active participation in facilitating de-escalation of tensions between Cambodia and Thailand through cultural means. This confirmation was made during a working meeting with Mrs. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, who led the Cambodian delegation to meet with Mr. Al-Fayez on the afternoon of July 21, 2026, during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea. During the meeting, Mrs. Sackona congratulated Mr. Nayef Al-Fayez on his selection as Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO. She expressed gratitude for the report submitted by the World Heritage Centre experts and ICOMOS specialists who conducted a mission to Preah Vihear temple from March 1 to 6, 2026, at the invitation of the Royal Government of Cambodia. Mrs. Sackona praised the report for its comprehensive technical quality, meticulousness, and accurate reflection of the current situation at Preah Vihear temple. The report was prepared after the expert team inspected and assessed the damage that Cambodia had reported as being caused by Thai military actions, affecting the outstanding universal value of this World Heritage site. In response, Mr. Nayef Al-Fayez confirmed that UNESCO will continue to pay close attention to the Preah Vihear temple case. As the Assistant Director-General for Culture, he pledged to support and facilitate efforts to contribute to de-escalating tensions between the two countries through culture. Beyond discussing the Preah Vihear temple case, Mrs. Phoeurng Sackona also informed the UNESCO Assistant Director-General about Cambodia's intention to host the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage during Cambodia's membership on the committee for the 2026–2030 mandate. Concurrently, Mr. Nayef Al-Fayez pledged his support for Cambodia's proposal to host this international meeting, stating that UNESCO will continue to strengthen cooperation with Cambodia in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible.