Kampot: A high-level consultative workshop was convened in Kampot City, Kampot province on June 24, to review and refine Kampot city's official application for the prestigious UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The opening ceremony was presided over by H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, and Mr. Flavio Bonetti, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the session brought together a coalition of representatives, including H.E. Ms. Pen Mony Makara, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and H.E. Mao Thonin, Governor of Kampot province. The participants also included representatives from public institutions, the private sector, and civil society organisations. The primary aim of this workshop was to review and refine the draft document of Kampot city, ensuring its accuracy, clarity, and comprehensiveness in line with the criteria of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to offer comments, input, and recommendations to enhance the document's quality before its official submission to UNESCO. Established in 2004, UCCN promotes cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

Battambang is the first and only Cambodian city designated to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Inducted in 2023, it was recognised in the field of Gastronomy for its culinary traditions, unique local dishes, and commitment to sustainable urban development.