Khmer New Year at the Embassy of Cambodia: TulSU has become a part of a cultural holiday

13.04.2026 09:08

Khmer New Year at the Embassy of Cambodia: TulSU has become a part of a cultural holiday

On April 12, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia in the Russian Federation held a solemn reception on occasion of celebration of the Khmer New Year.

The guests of the reception, among whom there were foreign diplomats, representatives of Russian and Cambodian expert circles and business, journalists, international experts from leading universities of our country, Cambodian students, including active Cambodian students of Tula State University, and even representatives of the Khmer Boxing Federation of Moscow "Kun Khmer" had the opportunity to feel this ancient holiday filled with deep meaning.

Cambodian New Year ( បុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី)) or Chaul Cham Thmei, which literally translates from Khmer as "entering the new year", is a Cambodian holiday dedicated to the New Year, usually lasting for three days and marking the end of the harvest season, purification and renewal, as well as the reverence of ancestors. The Khmer people use the Buddhist Era based on the Buddhist calendar and this year they celebrate the year 2569.

Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the TulSU Institute of International Education, arrived at the Embassy at the invitation of Mr. Pan Pichkhun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Russian Federation, and his wife, Ms. Leye Monirot.

In his address to the guests, Ambassador Panya Pichkhun stressed that this holiday symbolizes the loyalty of Cambodians to their historical and religious roots and traditions. He cordially congratulated all those present at the reception with the New Year, recalling that 70 years ago, on May 13, 1956, diplomatic relations were established between the USSR and Cambodia, which in December 1991 recognized the Russian Federation as the legal successor of the USSR.

The Ambassador's wife, Leye Monirot, speaking with university representatives, noted that TulSU ranks second after Moscow universities in terms of the number of Cambodian students. There are currently 20 of them in TulSU, and the Embassy plans to assist TulSU in increasing this figure.

Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the Institute of International Education at Tula State University, presented memorable gifts to the Ambassador and his wife and wished everyone present a Happy Khmer New Year.

In November 2025, the delegation of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia in the Russian Federation, headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and his wife, became honorary guests of the XX Anniversary International Forum-Festival of Foreign and Russian Students dedicated to the 95th anniversary of TulSU, and were completely delighted. And at the solemn reception, His Excellency Mr. Ambassador confirmed that he had sent to Cambodia a detailed positive report on TulSU following the results of the forum-festival.