Phnom Penh, 14 September 2025 — Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, on Sunday led the Members of Parliament and officials of the Secretariat-General to take part in the seventh Kan Ben of the Pchum Ben Festival at Vimean Techeah Pagoda, known as Wat Srah Chak, in Phnom Penh.

The event was held under the patronage of Samdech Preah Oudom Chakriya Pundit Chhoeung Bunchea, Vice President of the Sangha Judicial Council and Chief Abbot of Wat Srah Chak, together with other senior monks, and was participated by a large gathering of Buddhist followers.

The ceremony was dedicated to honoring ancestors and paid special tribute to heroic soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the nation’s territorial integrity. On this occasion, Khuon Sudary also prayed for peace, stability, happiness, and prosperity for Cambodia and its people.

After joining traditional Buddhist rituals and ceremonies, Samdech Khuon Sudary offered financial support and white robes to elderly participants, while also contributing to the pagoda’s development in support of Buddhism.

Pchum Ben is among Cambodia’s most important traditional festivals. Observed since ancient times, it is dedicated to the spirits of seven generations of ancestors. The festival also strengthens family and community bonds, as Cambodians gather at pagodas to offer food and prayers, believing their ancestors return to receive these blessings.

This year’s festival runs from 8 to 22 September, corresponding to the 1st to 15th waning days of the lunar month of Photrobot, with the final day, known as Pchum Ben, Ben Thom, or the Grand Festival, marked as a public holiday nationwide.

As the longest traditional festival in Cambodia’s lunar calendar, Pchum Ben embodies the values of gratitude, remembrance, and unity, linking the nation’s cultural heritage with its Buddhist faith.