In Cambodia, culture shapes identity, spurs economic growth
Last year, the United Nations called for culture to be given top priority in the post-2015 global development agenda, citing its importance to economic growth, social inclusion, equality, and sustainable development. It is difficult to quantify the impact culture has on a nation, particularly for a developing country like Cambodia, which endured such turmoil and hardship under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Many Cambodians have turned to their cultural traditions to regain a sense of community and morality, says Mr. Kong Vireak, Cambodia’s director of the Museums Department in the Ministry of Culture. Mr. Kong was in the San Francisco Bay Area last month on a two-week professional affiliation at the Asian Art Museum as The Asia Foundation’s Brayton Wilbur Jr. Fellow in Asian Art. … The exhibit illustrates episodes of Buddha’s life, and scenes depicting key teachings on life, suffering, and death. These works, painted in the 1980s, are from a private collection, and were commissioned by individual temple donors or by village associations, mostly in rural communities. … Silver in the form of Buddhist statues, on the other hand, have survived because in Cambodia, a primarily Buddhist nation, melting down holy images is considered blasphemous. Thus, a sizeable number of silver Buddhist statues still remain in the Museum’s collection. Tourism, an important revenue source for Cambodia, brought more than 2 million visitors in 2013 to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat. The National Museum in Phnom Penh is also a magnet for tourists, drawing an international audience to its exhibits and cultural performances. Mr. Kong said. The museum employs hundreds of musicians and performing artists, and also supports the local traditional handicrafts. …
Julia Chen
http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2014/02/12/in-cambodia-culture-shapes-identity-spurs-economic-growth/
