On June 26, Ambassador Chum Sounry and the Embassy’s staff paid a visit to Philadelphia, one among the big Cambodia towns in the US. The visit was arranged by Mr. Chou Hor, President of Philadelphia’s Cambodian American Business Community, at the Ambassador’s request with 3 objectives:

1. To further the good relations between the Embassy - the Cambodian community, and this time focusing on the Cambodian businesspeople.

2. To promote Cambodian food, traditional clothes, made in Cambodia products, etc. 

3. To explore the opportunity to organize in the future an economic / cultural event, like exhibition or performance of Cambodian traditional dances.

During the visit, the Ambassador toured some Cambodian shops, among them a Cambodian restaurant “I Heart Cambodia” that serves Cambodian food, including Korko, M’chu Kroeung, Nhoeum Sdaov, Trey Aing with Tek Trey Svay, etc. He handed over a copy of “the taste of Angkor” to the restaurant owner and encouraged her to serve more Cambodian food. 

Later, the team had lunch (at 3:30pm) at this restaurant, during which Ambassador Sounry handed over to the President of Philadelphia’s Cambodian American Business Community, a hand-made silver plate with Angkor Temple inscription as a token of the Embassy’s appreciation for his services to the Cambodian community and a copy of “the taste of Angkor” for the 2nd Cambodian restaurant in this town.

After touring the Cambodian shops, the team visited the weekend-market at Philadelphia’s public park (well known as Philadelphia Khmer Market), in which 80% of the vendors are Cambodian. The tour was arranged by the Association of Cambodian Vendors with the support of local authorities who provided a police car and security during the visit. The Embassy’s team were warmly greeted by the Cambodian vendors who were surprised and pleased by the visit.

Ambassador Sounry discussed with the leaders of the Cambodian American Business Community and the Cambodian Vendors Association about the possibility to organize an exhibition with the performance of Cambodian traditional dances in this park anytime in the coming months. They shared the Ambassador’s wish to see more Cambodian food, traditional clothes and products on sale in this market. The Ambassador also gave the President of the Vendors Association a copy of “the taste of Angkor”.

The Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Washington, DC received on June 16, 2021 the visit by a group of five U.S diplomats, who will leave to work at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh soon, accompanied by a Khmer teacher.

The Cambodian diplomats:

1. His Excellency Chum Sounry, Ambassador 
2. Mr. Khem Ruyzun, Counselor
3. B.G. Mrs. Morm Seyha, Defense, Military and Air Attaché
4. Mr. Sam Sithisak, Commercial Counselor
5. Mr. Preap Phalkun, First Secretary
6. Mr. U Hong, Second Secretary 

The U.S. diplomats:

1. Mr. Ryan Peterson (Consular Officer)
2. Ms. Lisa Larson (Public Affairs Officer)
3. Ms. Zoe Treuer (General Services Officer) 
4. Mr. Brendan Rowell (Consular Officer)
5. Mr. John Milicivich (Political Officer)

Khmer Language and Culture Instructor:

Ms. Sotheavy Ken

សេចក្តីប្រកាសព័ត៌មាន / Press Release
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ឯកឧត្តម ជុំ សុន្ទរី ឯកអគ្គរាជទូតនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជាប្រចាំសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក និងលោក Cyrus Vance Jr. រដ្ឋអាជ្ញា នៃការិយាល័យរដ្ឋអាជ្ញាប្រចាំសង្កាត់ញូវយ៉ក បានចុះហត្ថលេខាលើកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងរវាងព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា និងរដ្ឋអាជ្ញានៃសង្កាត់ញូវយ៉ក ស្តីពីការផ្ទេរសិទ្ធិគ្រប់គ្រងវត្ថុបុរាណរបស់កម្ពុជាដែលត្រូវបានជួញដូរចំនួន២៧រូប ពីការិយាល័យរដ្ឋអាជ្ញា មកព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា នៅក្នុងពិធីចុះហត្ថលេខា ដែលបានប្រព្រឹត្តទៅនៅការិយាល័យរដ្ឋអាជ្ញា ថ្ងៃទី ០៩ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០២១។
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H.E. Mr. Chum Sounry, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States of America, and Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., District Attorney of New York County, signed an Agreement between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the District Attorney (DA) of New York County for the transfer of custody of 27 objects of trafficked Cambodian antiquities from the DA’s Office to the Kingdom of Cambodia, in a signing ceremony held at the DA’s Office on June 9, 2021.

​Main activities of Ambassador Chum Sounry and Embassy’s staff during 2-day trip on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6 to Philadelphia (largest city in Pennsylvania) and Lancaster (also a city in Pennsylvania) are as follows:

This trip was arranged by Mr. Chu Hor, President of Cambodian American Business Community of Philadelphia, and Mr. Sok Savoeun, Honorary Consul of Cambodia in Philadelphia at the Ambassador’s request.

On Saturday, June 5:

1. Attended a meeting with Philadelphia City Council officials and representatives of different Cambodian communities (Cambodian-American Business Association, Cambodian Vendors’ Association, . . .), including:
• Ms. Kendra Brooks, Councilmember At-Large, Philadelphia City Council
• Mr. Isaiah Thomas, Councilmember At-Large, Philadelphia City Council
• Mr. Craig R. Levin, Attorney at law, Friedman & Levin Associates
• Mr. Michael Lambert, Attorney at law, The Law Office of Michael Lambert
• Jennifer Lin, Assistant District Attorney at Philadelphia District Attorney's Office
• Michael Lee, Assistant District Attorney at Philadelphia District Attorney's Office
And other Philadelphia City Council officials and staff

2. Attended an event hosted by Mr. John Chin, Chairman of Mayor's Commission of Asian Pacific American Affairs and Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation Executive Director to welcome the Ambassador’s visit. Among over 30 participants were:
- U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans (D, Pennsylvania),
- Pennsylvania Senator Nikil Saval,
- Pennsylvania Senator Sharif Street,
- Pennsylvania Representative Mary Isaacson,
- Representatives from various local government of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, and
- Representatives of different Cambodian associations / organizations, and so on.
After the welcoming remarks by all important guests, the Ambassador briefed them about the main development in Cambodia and in Cambodia-US relations.

3. Attended the opening ceremony of 2021 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show at the invitation of the organizer.
Ambassador Sounry was greeted and welcomed by Hon. James Kenney, Mayor of Philadelphia, and Matt Rader, President of the PHS Flower Show.
During the Flower Show, the Ambassador met with Hon. Mary Gay Scanlon, U.S. Congresswoman, Pennsylvania 5th District, The Hon. John Fetterman, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Nikil Saval, Pennsylvania State Senator.

On Sunday, June 6:

4. Paid tribute to the monks at Preah Buddha Rainsey Temple in New Jersey and had breakfast with the Temple Committee and supporters.

5. Had a working lunch with some Cambodians in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

6. Had a meeting with two American businessmen at their request to discuss about business opportunities in Cambodia.

7. Had a working dinner with the leaders of Cambodian community in Lancaster City.
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