April 20, 2026, Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of Economy and Money (SOSORO), and Amret Microfinance Institution have collaborated to organize a campaign to promote reading and awareness of the history of Khmer currency​ at the SOSORO Museum through a program called “10,000 Steps for 10,000 Students” under the theme “Run and Walk to Promote Reading and SOSORO Museum” scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2026 at the​ premises of Koh Pich and Koh Norea.

This program is part of the first-ever campaign in Cambodia, initiated by Amret Microfinance Institution in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and SOSORO Museum, with three main objectives: (1) to contribute to the continued promotion of the education sector, which is a priority goal of the Royal Government; (2) to promote the importance of reading to  foster the habit of reading in daily life, and encourage a reading culture in Cambodia; and (3) to promote a deeper understanding of the history of Khmer currency at SOSORO Museum,  a modern and first-of-its-kind museum that provides knowledge about the relationship between economy, currency, and society throughout Cambodia’s history.

His Excellency Pundit Sopheacha Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, said that reading is an important foundation for quality education and for building Cambodia’s human resources and development. His Excellency Pundit added that this campaign reflects an important shared vision and has a positive impact on the development of human resources, the economy, and society as a whole. His Excellency Pundit also called for participation in supporting the “Run and Walk to Promote Reading” program, as well as SOSORO Museum, which is an important social campaign promoting reading, fostering reading habits and research skills, and building a reading culture so that reading becomes part of daily life.

Mr. Blaise Kilian, Co-Director of the Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of Economy and Money (SOSORO) “warmly welcomes this wonderful project and is looking forward to collaborating with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and Amret to bring more students to our exhibition”.

Museums are not only places of conservation, but also inclusive institutions dedicated to education and the transmission of knowledge. “Engaging young audiences is therefore at the very heart of our mission. This initiative also adds to our broader efforts, especially our ongoing cooperation with the banking sector, to cultivate economic literacy, historical awareness, and a thirst for knowledge among the younger generation” said Mr. Blaise Kilian.

As a financial institution with over 35 years of presence in Cambodia, Amret has a strong and long-standing commitment to contributing to the strengthening of Khmer culture and promoting the

education sector, which are priority areas of the institution’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, said Mr. DOS Dinn, Amret Chief Executive Officer. He added that the “10,000 Steps for 10,000 Students” program is not only focused on promoting reading through sports activities, but is also a unique and first-of-its-kind campaign that provides an opportunity for the general public, relevant partners including members of the Royal Government, development partners, the private sector, publishing houses, authors, guardians, families, and communities from all walks of life to support and promote the values of reading more widely.​The event is expected to gather more than 3,000 participants.

At the same time, he added that funds raised from all registrations for the “Run and Walk to Promote Reading and SOSORO Museum” program, along with additional funds from Amret, will be used to:

• Sponsor National Reading Day and the National Book Fair for 3 years
• Organize study tours for 10,000 students from various provinces to SOSORO Museum for 3 years; and
• Sponsor activities to promote the importance of reading in some provinces for 3 years.

According to Mr. Dinn, Amret, in collaboration with provincial authorities, is also scheduled to organize the “Run and Walk to Promote Reading and SOSORO Museum” program on the same day (May 24, 2026) in 5 other provinces, including Battambang, Kampot, Svay Rieng, Takeo, and Steung Treng, to further disseminate and raise awareness about reading and promote SOSORO Museum more widely.

MEDIA CONTACT

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport

Mr. VA Vannak, Deputy Director General of Sport

Mobile: 077 71 77 19​ and Email: [email protected]

Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of Economy and Money (SOSORO)

• For English: Mr. Dorian DEBALS

Mobile: 068 85 93 14 and Email: [email protected]

• For Khmer: Mr. HONG Hor

Mobile: 096 46 49 106 and Email: [email protected]

Amret

Ms. Ngay Somealea, Head of Marketing

Mobile: 011 24 96 54 and Email: [email protected]

About Amret

Amret is proud to be one of the top 10 financial institutions in Cambodia, recognized for its positive social impact. The institution currently serves more than 600,000 customers, including low-income farmers as well as small, micro, and medium enterprises.

With a nationwide network of 150 branches across 24 capitals and provinces, Amret employs over 4,700 staff dedicated to delivering inclusive and responsible financial services.

Amret is a subsidiary of Bank SinoPac, its major shareholder, alongside two international institutional shareholders that are widely recognized for their innovation and strong commitment to social responsibility. Throughout its growth and evolution, Amret remains steadfast in its mission to provide financial solutions that meet the diverse needs of its customers.