The Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) commemorated on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in the magnificent garden of the French Embassy, its 70 years of presence in the country. His Excellency the Minister of Health, Professor MAM Bunheng, His Excellency Mr. Jacques Pellet, Ambassador of France to Cambodia, Mr. Fernando Arenzana-Seisdedo, Director of International Affairs of the Institut Pasteur (Paris), Pr André Spiegel, Director of IPC as well as other Authorities and Institutions of the Country honored us with their presence on this occasion.

This event was an opportunity during the speeches to recall the importance of the action of the IPC in the field of research and public health and a tribute was paid to all of its staff who worked at the Institute for these 70 years.

It was reminded of the concomitance of the creation of the IPC with the accession to independence of the Kingdom in 1953 and that the Institute had successively occupied three sites in Phnom Penh, Chroy Changvar (1953-1975), Toul Kork (1986-1994) and finally Boulevard Monivong since 1994, its current site.

Since its creation, the Institute has been conducting research, public health and training activities in the Pasteurian spirit, always aiming at the highest level of requirement and quality.

These 70 years have seen the development of various research activities, many of which have had a significant impact on public health. The scientists of the Institute have distinguished themselves by validating short and vaccine-saving rabies vaccination protocols allowing a better acceptability and a reduction of the cost of vaccination. They have also remained at the forefront of research in the field of HIV-AIDS infections, drug resistance of malaria strains, emerging zoonotic viruses or respiratory viruses as demonstrated by its leading role in the response to the COVID-19 epidemic, alongside the Ministry of Health.

Thus, after 70 years of presence in Cambodia, the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, a member of the Pasteur Network, continues its missions, faithful to the Pasteurian tradition with competence and dedication for the benefit of science and always in the service of the health of Cambodia and the region.

A few photographs, posters and a slideshow projected during the cocktail allowed guests to discover some of the activities carried out during its history. It complemented the exhibition of photographs tracing part of the history of the Institute, which had been set up on the exterior walls of the French Embassy.